Beginnings, Ends, and a Whole Lot of Middle
by Back-in-Black-Finchel
Summary: A series of oneshots capturing the most memorable moments of Finn and Rachel's life together.
1. Her Everything

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Glee**_** or any other companies/products used in the making of this story.**

**Author's Note: The first in a series of Finchel oneshots. Enjoy ****.**

**Her Everything**

Finn sneezed for the umpteenth time that day, growling exasperatedly under his breath as he harshly grabbed yet another tissue. He sniffled grumpily and seized the box of Dayquil off the bedside table.

"How long can it possibly take for a stupid pill to work?" he huffed.

"Feeling ok there, baby?" Rachel said as she leaned casually against the doorway. Finn threw her a sharp look and stashed the box on the bedside table again.

"I'm fine," he said shortly in a very congested, nasally voice.

"Uh-huh," Rachel deadpanned, clearly unconvinced.

Finn looked out the window, wishing she'd just go back to watching TV in the living room. She had been after him for three days now, insisting that the go see the doctor. But he wouldn't budge – Finn was a man, and no little cold was going to send him crawling to the doctor.

Rachel sighed, walking over and climbing onto the bed. Finn still refused to look at her.

"Well if you won't go to the doctor, or even _look at me_," she said pointedly before softening her tone, "Can I at least take your temperature?"

"No," he said stubbornly.

"Have it your way, then," she said icily. "If you die because your body temperature is too high and your proteins start denaturing, don't blame it on me." Rachel knew that would at least get his attention, and she was getting sick of his childish attitude. He finally looked at her, unease apparent in his eyes.

"Fine…" he mumbled.

"Thank you," she sighed, relieved. "I can tell you're burning up from here."

"I don't have that high of a f-" Finn started, suddenly cut off by the digital thermometer being thrust into his open mouth.

"Ow," he scowled.

"Shh," Rachel frowned, "Hold it under your tongue."

Finn sat back against the pillows, his arms crossed over his chest impatiently as Rachel practically hovered directly over him to read the rising numbers on the small screen. He could see the unease and near panic in her eyes as she watched each rising degree.

"If your temperature is 104.5 or above, I don't care what you say," she said adamantly. "So help me God, I will _drag you_ into the emergency room if I have to."

Finn's eyes widened. Something told him she wasn't at all kidding.

Suddenly the thermometer beeped and Rachel grabbed it out of his mouth before he knew what hit him.

"103.6," she said, clearly quite relieved.

"No doctor!" he tried to sound triumphant, which ended in a coughing fit.

"That's what _you_ think," she said defiantly.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Sure enough, two hours later Finn was huddled miserably in the corner of the doctor's office waiting room. Rachel was up at the check-in desk signing him in as he shivered and pulled his sweatshirt tighter around his body. As she walked back over to him, he threw her a bitter look.

"It's for your own good," she said calmly as she sat down next to him.

"Y-y-you d-d-don't know t-that," Finn said through chattering teeth. He looked directly at the wall, refusing to meet her gaze.

"Sweetheart, you're shivering, shaking, sneezing, coughing, running a high fever and you have _no _appetite," Rachel said softly. "I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, Finn, but you're sick as a dog. I know you think you're impervious to bugs – God forbid they dare attack the quarterback of an NFL football team, but you're sick."

Finn was silent for a long while.

"Rach…?" he said finally, his voice quiet.

"Yeah, babe?" she replied.

"I'm really c-c-cold," he said sheepishly.

"Aww. C'mere," she said softly, wrapping her arms around him and pulling his body towards hers.

Finn's shivers subsided somewhat. He couldn't help thinking that, for someone as petite as she was, her body was an absolute furnace. He felt so much better in her arms he couldn't even believe it. Almost subconsciously, he buried his face in the crook of her neck. Different chills filled his body when he felt her warm hand graze his cheek.

Finn was more than a little disappointed when the nurse called them out of the waiting room and he had to get up. Rachel, who always seemed to know what he was thinking before he even realized it himself, had a tight hold on his hand as she led him down the hall to room six.

Once inside the exam room, Finn once again nestled against her. Rachel gently rubbed his back, occasionally pressing a kiss or two into his soft hair. She smiled to herself at the way his body melted into hers, and the way he clung to her in near desperation.

Finn groaned inwardly at the sound of footsteps headed straight for the room. He pulled away slowly as Rachel released her tight hold on him. She kissed his forehead before letting him go completely, letting her lips linger against his warm skin, undoubtedly in an effort to guesstimate his temperature. Finn smiled.

Dr. Carson walked in just as Rachel pulled away from Finn.

"Mr. Hudson?" he asked, still looking at the file as he walked in the door. Dr. Carson looked up, immediately looking a bit puzzled when he saw Rachel.

"Hi, Dr. Carson," she said, grinning.

"Rachel," he smiled cordially. "I take it you're not here for your annual checkup."

"Not exactly," Rachel shook her head, laughing a bit.

"Well, what seems to be the problem, Mr. Hudson?" Dr. Carson asked, glancing at Finn.

"I'm sick," Finn said quietly. He _hated_ doctors.

Dr. Carson fought back a smile, instead opting for a small nod.

"Symptoms?" he asked calmly.

"I'm sneezing a lot, my throat hurts, I'm coughing like crazy," Finn sighed. "My nose is running, and I'm shivering."

"He's also had a fever of around 103 for days now," Rachel interjected. "And he has absolutely no appetite."

"Ok," Dr. Carson nodded and motioned towards the raised exam table. "Take a seat up here for me."

Finn got up and sat on the white paper that covered the table, which crinkled nosily under him. Rachel looked at him reassuringly. His eyes met hers – her warm, soft gaze was incredibly soothing.

Finn awkwardly and silently complied with Dr. Carson's directions as he was examined from head to toe. His temperature was nearly 104 by the time the nurse got around to taking it. Rachel watched silently, worry clearly defined in her expression.

"I'm just going to have on of the nurses take some blood, and then I'll be able to make the diagnosis," Dr. Carson said before exiting the room.

"Take some blood?" Finn gaped at Rachel, his eyes wide.

"They have to see if your white blood cell count is high," she said softly, walking up to him and running a hand through his hair. "It probably will be. You're clearly fighting some kind of bug."

Finn shrugged and put his arms around Rachel. He rested his chin atop her head.

"You know I'd be screwed without you, right?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Utterly," she laughed. "But, then again, I would be too." Finn smiled.

A nurse walked in the door, interrupting their moment. Rachel moved out of the way and sat back on the chair. The nurse set a tray down on the exam table.

"Give me your right hand," she said. Finn held up his hand, and she grabbed a swab doused in alcohol. Finn looked at Rachel as the nurse sterilized his ring finger.

"Just a little prick," she said calmly.

Rachel locked his gaze, her facial expression gentle and reassuring. Finn winced slightly when the nurse pricked his finger. He turned to watch as she squeezed several drops of his blood into a small vial before cleaning his finger off again and putting a small band-aid over the tiny mark.

"We'll have your results in a few minutes," the nurse said before walking out the door.

"Was it that bad?" Rachel asked teasingly.

Finn laughed.

"Horrible," he grinned.

They continued their lighthearted banter for a few more minutes until Dr. Carson reentered the room.

"Your tests are all back," he said as he sat down on a stool and reviewed the file. "You have the flu. Unfortunately there's nothing I can give you for it, as it's a viral infection."

"So what do I do?" Finn asked.

"Go home and rest. Drink lots of fluids and try to eat something. Take Tylenol and decongestants to cover the worst of the respiratory symptoms," Dr. Carson replied. "If the fever gets worse – say 105, I'd advise going to the emergency room. Tylenol should help to lower the fever, though. Give it a few more days and you should be fine. The cough and nasal symptoms will last at least a week beyond that. It's really up to your body to fight off the virus."

"Thank you," Finn nodded.

"My pleasure," Dr. Carson said, shaking Finn's hand before turning to Rachel. "Always nice to see you as well, Rachel."

"Thanks, Dr. Carson," she returned.

He nodded cordially and exited the room.

"You ready to go?" Rachel asked.

"Are you kidding?" Finn laughed. "I'm so out of here."

Rachel rolled her eyes, clearly amused. They walked out of the exam room hand-in-hand.

Once they got back into the car, Rachel asked David, their driver, if he could take them to the nearest pharmacy. Finn was huddled against the side of the car, his eyes closing more and more with every weary blink.

"C'mere," Rachel said softly, pulling him towards her so that he could lay down across the bench seat of the car with his head on her lap.

She pulled off her jacket and put it over Finn's still-shivering body. He cringed inwardly; he was starting to feel really guilty for the way he'd been treating her the past few days. Sure she could be pushy, but it was clearly out of love and concern for him.

"I'm sorry I've b-been such a j-jerk," he swallowed.

Rachel looked down at him, took his hand, and interlocked her fingers with his.

"First, you've been grumpy, not a jerk," she said with a comical smile. "Second, don't make a habit out of it. And, third, I love you more than anything, and no illness or occasional bad attitude is going to change that."

Finn grinned up at her.

"I love you too."

**gleegleegleeglee**

In no time they were back home to their penthouse condo that looked out over Central Park and Manhattan. Rachel shut the door behind them and turned to Finn. She wrapped her arms around him, looking into his amber eyes as she caressed his cheek.

"Why don't you go lay down, baby?" she suggested lightly. "You need to rest."

"I could do that," Finn said softly, shrugging. "_Or_ I could stay here… nice and warm… with your arms around me…"

"Yeah… not when you're contagious and I'm playing Elphaba for eight shows a week," Rachel smirked, letting go and walking off towards the kitchen. "Now get your butt in bed, mister."

Finn groaned, trying not to laugh.

"That hurt, ya know," he called back at her as he headed for the stairs.

"No pain, no gain!" Rachel shouted from the kitchen as pots and pans clanged in the background.

Finn eventually settled back into their bed after ditching his clothing in favor of sweatpants and a sweatshirt. He reached for the remote, but a coughing fit and sneeze attack caught him off guard and left him instead seizing the tissue box.

"Oh, baby," Rachel frowned sympathetically from the doorway as she walked into the master bedroom.

"I'm ok," Finn said in between coughs and sneezes.

"Of course you are," Rachel rolled her eyes as she set the tray she was carrying down on the bedside table next to him. "Anyway… eat this," she continued. She ran her fingers through his hair, "I'll be downstairs if you need anything."

Finn's heart sank. He knew he had told her to stay away, as he didn't want her to get sick, but he really just wanted her by his side.

"Ok," he nodded.

She gave him a gentle smile and kissed his forehead.

"I love you, baby," Rachel whispered.

"I love you too, Rach," he said quietly.

She kissed his forehead again before turning away to head towards the hallway. Rachel turned to look at him once more, seeing the dejected expression plastered across his face as he dug the remote out from under the covers. Her heart sank. The past three days she'd wanted nothing more than to cuddle up with Finn – the love of her life that was currently sick and miserable in bed. She frowned, watching him rummage through the covers for the remote.

"Finn…" she called softly.

He looked up, a curious expression in his eyes.

"You know you're my everything, right?" Rachel asked, swallowing.

Finn's heart thudded loudly in his chest. He felt his body truly warm up for the first time that day as a smile spread from ear-to-ear.

She smiled back and blew him a kiss before turning to go downstairs.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Rachel couldn't take it anymore. By the time 1 AM rolled around, she was practically running upstairs to the master bedroom.

Finn was sound asleep, curled up on his side of the bed. Rachel smiled at her adorable boyfriend and walked into the room. She climbed into bed and pulled the covers over her body.

"Rachel?" Finn mumbled groggily. "You ok? What happened?"

Rachel turned to him, reaching to gently caress his cheek.

"I got tired of missing you," she smiled.

"You're going to get sick," Finn frowned. "I miss you too – more than anything, but I won't let you get sick."

"Your fever broke three hours ago when I checked on you," Rachel said softly. "And I've already been exposed."

"But Elphaba is like your dream role," Finn pointed out.

"Yeah," Rachel nodded, "On Broadway. And, don't get me wrong – acting on Broadway is all I've wanted to do since I was practically in the womb. But if I've learned anything from being in love with you, it's that there's a role I adore even more than Elphaba, Fanny Brice, and Eva Perón."

"Which is…?" Finn asked curiously.

"Being your girlfriend," Rachel said softly, a gentle smile playing at her lips.

Finn smiled as he locked eyes with Rachel.

"Well then, by all means," he said with a small laugh as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Thank God," she said under her breath, nestling against Finn's body and reclaiming the spot that she'd been forced to neglect for days.

Finn kissed her forehead and rested his cheek against the top of her head.

"I missed this," he said quietly.

But Rachel was already fast asleep.

**A/N: If you liked it, please drop a review on your way out. It means a lot!**


	2. Surprises

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Glee**_** or any other company/product listed here. Dibbs on the plot, though.**

**Author's Note: Thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter! I truly appreciate it! I hope you enjoy this one as well. Oh, and with regards to Finn's status as the QB of an NFL football team: I didn't want to get caught up in the Jets/Giants rivalry, so pick your favorite if you so choose to assign him a team in your mind. Anyway, enjoy!**

**Surprises**

"Hey Rach?" Finn called out as he closed the front door to their apartment behind him.

"In the kitchen!" she called back.

Finn sighed. Rachel had just finished her run as Elphaba on Broadway, and she was a little upset. Cooking for hours was her way of acclimating to normal life again. He rounded the corner into the kitchen.

"Hey, sweetheart!" Rachel grinned as he walked into the room.

"Hey, babe," Finn smiled back. He cringed inwardly – Rachel only called him 'sweetheart' when she was down and feeling emotional. "You've been busy," he remarked cheerfully.

"Yeah," she laughed. "I don't know. I started this morning and just got carried away."

"Anything I can do to help?" he asked. "I mean… you know I suck at cooking, but I can try…"

Rachel left the pot she was stirring to walk over to him and wrap her arms around his neck.

"You're adorable, you know that?" she quipped.

"You're the love of my life, you know that?" he returned.

Rachel gave him a watery smile and leaned against him, resting her head against his chest. Finn kissed the top of her head.

"It's ok to miss it, you know," he said softly. "You dedicated a good two years of your life to the part – the first two years of your Broadway career. _And_ you won two Tonys before turning twenty-five."

"I know but… still. Next time I'll have something lined up after I finish a show," Rachel sighed. "I wouldn't miss it so much if I couldn't think about it every day."

"Hmm… it's too bad there isn't something to take your mind off of it," Finn baited her. "Like a trip or something…"

Rachel eyed him closely. She knew that mischievous tone in his voice.

"What are you getting at?" she asked curiously.

"You know," he went on, clearly trying to bite back a smile, "Like that ski vacation you've always wanted to go on. You know… the one to Aspen…"

"You didn't," Rachel gasped excitedly.

"Me?" Finn laughed, trying his best to hold in his excitement. "No way. I thought you…" he paused, gesturing towards the living room beyond the kitchen, "I thought… I mean there's all this stuff in the room out there-"

Rachel was out of the room before he could finish his sentence. She turned on the lights in the room and her mouth dropped open.

"Oh my…" her voice trailed off.

Before her were complete sets of his and hers ski gear. Rachel couldn't help but get a little teary eyed when she saw her skis – a subtle pink with gold stars and 'Rachel' written across the spot where the boots strapped in. The poles followed a similar pattern, and all of her gear was pink and white. A few wrapped – adorably badly wrapped – presents sat on the table. Also on the table were two snowboards – hers, that matched with all of her other gear, and his, that also went with his set.

Finn, who had taken the pot off the stove before walking into the room, stood in the archway. Rachel swallowed, blinking back her tears as best she could.

When she finally turned around, tears streaming down her face, for the first time in her twenty-four years of life, Rachel Barbra Berry was speechless.

Finn flashed her a gentle smile. Rachel opened her mouth to say something, but her voice had abandoned her.

She walked up to Finn and threw her arms around him.

"Everyone needs a break from life once in a while, Rach," he said gently. "Even you, supergirl."

Rachel laughed a bit. He really did know her better than her own self sometimes.

After awhile, Finn reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a jewelry box. He opened it and took out the necklace within – a sixteenth note, offset by an 'R', both with inset diamonds spanning across the surface..

"Part two," he whispered as he gently placed the necklace in her hand.

Rachel pulled away from him a bit and opened her hand. She let out a small gasp.

"I saw the music note in the store a few months back and it made me think of you, so I had this one made," he said softly.

"Finn," Rachel swallowed, tears welling up in her eyes again. "It's beautiful."

He gave her a warm smile and clasped it around her neck.

"Just out of curiosity, what caused all of this?" she asked quietly.

"Nothing really, I guess," Finn shrugged. He looked around the room before looking back at her. "Just you being you…"

She looked at him incredulously.

"Just when I think I can't possibly love you any more than I do, you always find some way to make me love you all the more," Rachel mused.

Finn gave her the most adorable smile he could muster.

"Come on, lover boy," Rachel laughed, pulling him over to the couch. "I want to try all this stuff on."

"You're such a girl," Finn laughed to himself.

"Of course," Rachel said nonchalantly as she dug into the wrapping paper of one of the boxes. "But guess who gets to take all of this off once I try it on…?"

Suddenly opening presents didn't sound like such a bad idea to him.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Rachel collapsed onto the bed in their hotel room as Finn tipped the bellboy. It had definitely been a whirlwind kind of morning. They both woke up at three to catch their six o'clock flight out of Kennedy. And after one mimosa before takeoff, Rachel was fast asleep with her head resting on Finn's shoulder. She woke up once to the cries of a screaming baby somewhere in coach, and found herself ridiculously thankful to be in first.

"Kid's been at it since we took off," Finn mumbled.

"Really?" she yawned. "I hope our kids don't cry incessantly on plane flights," she added without thinking before leaning against him and closing her eyes again.

Finn smiled to himself as he watched his girlfriend sleep. He couldn't help thinking about how beautiful she was, especially curled up next to him fast asleep with a smile on her face. And he doubted she even realized, but her reference to _their _future kids made his heart skip a beat.

**gleegleegleeglee**

A few hours later after they settled into their suite at the St. Regis in Aspen (another of Finn's surprises), Rachel and Finn decided to take a walk and get lunch.

"I haven't been skiing since I was twelve," Rachel mused, watching three skiers head down a mountain in the distance.

"I went once when I was like five," Finn laughed.

"Well, when you fall on your butt, just know I'll be there to help you up," Rachel grinned.

"Well that's very kind of you," he flashed her a sideways grin.

They arrived at a cozy restaurant not far from the hotel that one of the concierges had recommended for lunch. Finn opened the door for Rachel and they walked in. Finn entered his name and the hostess said it would only be a minute. Rachel couldn't help but notice a little girl walking over to them. She looked up, causing the girl to take in a sharp breath. A smile crossed Rachel's face; the girl was wearing a shirt that said 'Defying Gravity' with Elphaba's hat on the front. It made her heart hurt a little to be reminded of _Wicked_, but she loved seeing fans of the show.

"Are… are you Rachel Berry?" the girl asked timidly.

"Yep," Rachel smiled, letting go of Finn's hand to kneel down to the girl's height. "What's your name?"

"Mia…" the girl hesitated. "Could I… could I maybe have your autograph?"

"Of course, sweetie," Rachel grinned.

"Mia! Mia, I told you not to bother her!"

Rachel looked up to see a woman, who was apparently the little girl's mother, making a beeline for them.

"She's fine, really," Rachel said, almost a bit defensively. She looked back at Mia as she took the piece of paper and pen from her to sign. "Did you go see the show?"

"Yeah," Mia grinned from ear-to-ear. "You were the best Elphaba I ever saw. And I've seen the show six times – three times with you as Elphaba. I would know," she added matter-of-factly.

"Aww," Rachel smiled, handing her back the signed piece of paper and pen. "Thanks, sweetie."

"Thank you very much," Mia said politely.

"Of course," Rachel nodded.

Mia hesitated again before throwing her arms around Rachel, who was caught a bit off guard. Rachel couldn't help but smile as she hugged the girl back.

"I want to be like you someday – performing on Broadway. You're my hero," Mia said quietly.

Rachel's heart melted instantly. She looked back at Mia and ruffled her hair a bit.

"Promise me something, Mia," she said softly.

"Anything," the girl nodded.

"Never give up on your dreams," Rachel said gently. "Always defy gravity."

"I promise," Mia smiled. "Thank you so much."

Rachel smiled and nodded at Mia before the girl ran back to her mother, who gave Rachel a 'thank you for making my daughter's day' sort of look. When she stood back up, Finn was beaming at her.

"What?" she smiled back at him.

"Nothing," he laughed, kissing her forehead. "You're just going to be the best mom in the universe when we have kids."

Rachel suddenly remembered what she had let slip in the plane. She blushed wildly as Finn kissed her on the cheek.

"So you _do_ remember…" he whispered teasingly.

She turned to him. Even her ears were bright pink.

"Well you're not denying it," she whispered back defensively, locking his gaze.

Finn looked into her eyes, an amused grin on his face. He leaned in closer, so their noses were almost touching.

"Well maybe that's because I don't want to deny it," he volleyed.

"Mr. Hudson? Your table is ready," the hostess said as she walked up to them. "If you'll just follow me, please."

Finn turned to follow her, but Rachel was still glued to the spot. Her mouth slightly agape and her heart racing, Rachel unsuccessfully tried to bite back a smile. Sure they had talked about having children together when they were in high school, but Rachel doubted her lecture about her future kids being Jewish when Finn was in his Grilled Cheesus phase really counted. She let out a small laugh that was both lighthearted and nervous simultaneously. She took a deep breath before hurrying to catch up with Finn.

Once the hostess had seated them at the table, they both buried their faces in their menus, but kept stealing glances at one another. Finn reached for Rachel's hand across the table and nonchalantly intertwined their fingers. She bit her lip and tried not to have a huge grin cross her face, but she couldn't keep it in. She felt like they were on their first date again – all of the good nervous jitters making them smile every five seconds.

"So, uh," Finn smiled comically as he continued to look over the menu, "Who else, dare I ask, would I have children with if not you?"

"It's not _that_," Rachel replied sheepishly, "It's just… it's one thing to talk about kids in a yes or no fashion, but it's another thing to discuss… specifics."

Finn nodded in agreement.

"More… _permanent_," he said before taking a long sip of water.

Rachel's heart skipped a beat.

"…Yeah," she nodded nonchalantly.

"Well, I mean, that's typically what couples strive for, isn't it?" he asked, looking into Rachel's eyes as he ran his thumb over the back of her hand. "…Permanence…"

Rachel swallowed – hard. Her heart raced in her chest and she could feel her cheeks grow red and hot.

"Y-yeah," she nodded, trying to keep her composure. "Uh, so what are you ordering?"

Finn smiled inwardly. She took the bait hook, line, and sinker.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"Can't you at least give me a hint?" Rachel asked for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day as they got out of the shower.

"No," Finn laughed. "What's the point in the surprise then?"

"Fine," she mumbled. "I at least need to know what to wear."

"You could really just go like this," Finn teased, kissing the warm, still-wet skin of her shoulder.

"You'd like that a lot, wouldn't you?" Rachel quipped.

"You have no idea," Finn said absentmindedly as he watched her put on panties and a bra.

Rachel smirked at him before looking pointedly at the shower and then back at him.

"Oh, I think I do," she remarked.

"Oh well… I tried," he shrugged. She laughed. "The attire is dressy by the way. Not like… super formal, but I guess somewhere in between casual and formal."

An hour later Finn was waiting in the foyer. Rachel had kicked him out of the bathroom saying she wanted to surprise him. Finn smiled once he heard her heels clicking on the marble floor.

"It's about t-" he started, standing up. But once he saw her, all words escaped him and the wind was knocked clean out of him. She was wearing a loose black dress that cut off a little above mid-thigh. Flowing sleeves reached to her elbows, and the plunging 'v' neckline dropped to her upper torso, exposing just enough so that you could tell she wasn't wearing the bra she had put on earlier. Although the dress was sexy to say the least, it still looked incredibly classy on her. Black peep toe heels, a black clutch, and loud gold earrings completed the outfit. Her hair was parted down the middle, and curled lightly so little ringlets cascaded over her shoulders.

"Well…?" she gave him a small smile.

Finn's mouth was agape and he knew he looked like an idiot, opening and closing his mouth trying to formulate a word – any word. He swallowed hard.

"Oh my God," he breathed finally. "Rach… you look absolutely stunning." Rachel blushed wildly.

Suddenly Finn was incredibly nervous about the upcoming night.

"A-are you ready to go?" he asked.

Rachel nodded.

"Here," he smiled, grabbing her coat and helping her put it on.

Rachel turned to him once she had her coat on, flashing him a smile. Finn smiled back before suddenly hugging her.

"I love you, Rachel," he said softly.

"I love you, too," she replied.

When they pulled away she looked at him questioningly.

"Are you ok?" she asked.

"Yeah. Why?" Finn answered.

"Oh, nothing. You've just been acting kind of funny," she shrugged.

"Really?" Finn said nonchalantly. "Hmm… I guess I'm just tired or something." He looked at his watch. "Dinner isn't for a little while. Would you be opposed to taking a walk through the hotel to kill some time?"

"Not as long as I get to steal a kiss or two along the way," Rachel smirked.

Finn smiled.

**gleegleegleeglee**

After walking through the lobby and meandering up to the second floor, Finn and Rachel stumbled upon a lightly snow-covered courtyard that overlooked the entire mountain range behind the hotel. He opened the door for her and they went out into the frosty air.

"Wow," Rachel smiled as she leaned on the stone railing bordering the edge of the courtyard. "This is beautiful."

"Yes you are," Finn said softly as he watched a few snowflakes fall into Rachel's hair.

Rachel looked at a far away mountain peak, blushing. Finn swallowed. It was now or never.

He discretely dug his hand in his coat pocket and pulled out the ring box he'd been carrying with him for the past few weeks.

"Rachel…" he said anxiously.

"Yeah?" she looked at him.

"There's… there's, uh, something I've been meaning to ask you…" he swallowed, looking back at her.

"What?" she asked.

Finn flashed her a small, anxious smile before kneeling down on one knee and holding the ring box in his hand. Rachel gasped.

"Oh my God," drew in a sharp breath behind the hand that was cupped over her mouth.

Finn smiled at her. Tears were already welling up in Rachel's eyes.

"Rachel, I realized when I was eighteen that I could never live without you. You're the most amazing person I've ever met. Not only are you passionate and talented beyond belief, but also you have a bigger heart than anyone I know. I honestly don't know how I ever lived without you. You're my better half. You're more than that – you're my reason for living, Rach. I want to spend the rest of my life falling even more in love with you than I thought possible, and I hope you feel the same." Finn paused. Tears were streaming down Rachel's face. He swallowed. "Rachel Barbra Berry, would you do me the exceptional honor of marrying me?"

"Yes," Rachel smiled through her tears. "Oh my God, yes!"

Finn was beaming as he jumped up and twirled her around in his arms. He gently eased her back down to the ground and slipped the ring on her finger.

"It's beautiful," Rachel said, an ear-to-ear grin on her face. The ring had a huge center cushion-cut diamond with a platinum band that split to touch the four corners of the center diamond and rejoined at the sides of the ring. Inset in the band were smaller diamonds.

She looked at Finn and reached up to caress his cheek.

"So can I steal that kiss now?" she gave him a watery smile.

"By all means, Mrs. Hudson," he winked.

Rachel smiled before stunning Finn with a sensual, tender kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.

When they finally ended the kiss, Finn pulled her into a tight hug.

"There's one more surprise left," he said breathlessly.

"What more could you possibly surprise me with?" Rachel laughed.

Finn laughed.

"Trust me," he said softly.

He took her hand and crossed the courtyard to the second door that led into the hotel. Finn smiled at her as he opened the door.

"What's in-?" Rachel started.

"CONGRATULATIONS!"

She gasped and Finn just beamed.

"Surprise," he laughed.

Rachel cupped a hand over her mouth in shock. The room was adorned to the nines with balloons and other engagement party decorations. And everyone was there. Everyone – Kurt, Mercedes, Tina, Artie, Mike, Brittany, Quinn, Puck, Burt, Carole, Rachel's fathers, Mr. Schuester… _everyone_.

"Congrats, sweetie!" Hiram Berry smiled as he ran up to hug his daughter.

"Welcome to the family," Leroy Berry said as he hugged Finn.

"I'm so glad I'm finally going to have another girl in this family!" Carole laughed as she, too, hugged Rachel.

"You know how to pick 'em," Burt grinned as he patted Finn on the back.

Then came the Glee Club group hug, and the constant requests to see the ring.

"How do you like the iceberg?" Kurt smirked.

"I love it," Rachel smiled as she hugged Kurt, who had become one of her best friends outside of Finn. "Thank you for saving him." They both laughed.

"That was some steamy kissing going on out there," Mercedes chimed in.

"You saw that?" Rachel's eyes widened.

"Yeah, we all did," Quinn smirked.

"It was pretty hot," Puck laughed, coming up behind Quinn and kissing her on the cheek.

"My Dads saw…?" Rachel swallowed.

"They've seen worse," Finn shrugged. "Don't you remember that one time they caught us in the laundry r-"

"Ok," Rachel clamped her hand over his mouth. "We get it, babe."

"I don't even want to know," Kurt shook his head in disbelief.

Everyone laughed.

**gleegleegleeglee**

It was three AM before Rachel and Finn finally returned to their room, after having promised to meet everyone for breakfast at ten. By three-thirty, Rachel was curled up in Finn's arms under the covers.

"Mrs. Hudson," Rachel mused as she drifted off to sleep. "I… love the… sound… of… that…"

"Goodnight, Mrs. Hudson," Finn whispered.

Rachel smiled against his bare chest.

"Goodnight, my everything," she yawned. "Also known as my future husband."

"That's what they call me," Finn smirked.

And with that, they fell asleep in the comfort of each other's arms.

**A/N: As always, I'd really appreciate a review if you feel compelled to write one. Thank you!**


	3. Rachel Calls an Audible

**Disclaimer: I still don't own _Glee_.**

**Author's Note: Ok, I know the possibility of two guys from McKinley ending up in the NFL is ridiculous, but just take it for what it is. Also, now is probably a good time to mention that these stories are _not in chronological order_. As always, thank you to those who read and reviewed. I really do appreciate the feedback, and it always makes me smile. So, without further ado and more of my rambling, enjoy!**

_**P.S. An audible is when a quarterback changes the offensive play at the line of scrimmage in football (American/Canadian football) for those who don't know. I only say this because it's kind of important to know. =)**_

**Rachel Calls an Audible**

Finn shut his eyes and inhaled deeply. The noise in the stadium was deafening, but he couldn't hear any of it. Camera flashes dotted every inch of the crowd, flashing like stars gleaming in the dark night sky. But all Finn could hear was the sound of his own heart beating wildly in his chest. This was the moment he had dreamed of since he was a kid. This was the moment every high school and college football player dreamed of. He was playing in the Super Bowl.

"Ready, Hudson?" his coach's voice echoed in his ears, snapping him out of his pre-game reverie.

Wordlessly, Finn narrowed his eyes, set his jaw, and snapped on his helmet. Coach Turner hit him on the back of the helmet as if to say 'go get 'em, kid.'

As the sportscaster announced their impending arrival, Finn and his team started to run onto the field.

"Let's do this!" he shouted to his team.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"Look! There he is!" Rachel shouted excitedly, practically jumping up and down where she stood.

Kurt laughed. Funny as she looked jumping up and down and pointing at Finn, even he had to admit that she was rocking the jersey (which appropriately boasted 'Mrs. Hudson' on the back), face paint, and obnoxious necklace she was wearing.

"Do you even know how the game is played, Berry?" Puck snickered.

"_Hudson_," Rachel narrowed her eyes at him. She may have kept 'Berry' as her stage name, but she was legally and proudly Rachel Barbra Hudson as of a few months prior. "And of course I do!"

Quinn hit Puck on the arm.

"Don't be bitter!" she said accusingly. Puck, too, had gone on to play in the NFL, but his team didn't come close to making it to the Super Bowl.

Mercedes, Tina, and Artie snickered at that. Finn and Rachel had booked a big box suite so all of their friends could come cheer him on, and everyone jumped at the chance to go.

But Rachel had stopped listening to everyone around her. Her attention was focused on Finn. He was looking around the stadium, undoubtedly to find her. Her stomach flipped when he finally laid eyes on her. She couldn't always go to his games, but when she did, she was as much a part of his pre-game ritual as was the team warm-up.

Finn unfastened his helmet and took it off. With an ear-to-ear smile on his face, he pointed up at her. Rachel smiled back, trying her best not to let tears well up in her eyes. He never forgot; if she was at the game, he always found her. She smiled back and blew him a kiss before mouthing 'I love you'.

He had told her once that she gave him the strength and power to win. Rachel hoped and prayed that it would be enough to get him through what was quite possibly the biggest game of his career.

"Honestly, if you two get any cuter, I'm gonna puke," Kurt shook his head. Rachel snapped back into reality. She stuck her tongue out at him in protest. "Mature," he rolled his eyes with a smile.

"He's your brother," Mercedes laughed. "Be supportive!"

"Fine… if I absolutely must… even though those spandex are a crime against humanity," he mumbled.

"I like them," Rachel said absentmindedly as she watched Finn throw a couple of passes down the sidelines.

"We noticed," Kurt said pointedly. "You're practically drooling."

"I am not! It's not my fault my husband is attractive," Rachel smirked. "And I'm his wife. I get staring rights."

"Oh, behave you two," Carole laughed, walking up to him.

Rachel and Kurt smiled at one another. She hugged him. Odd as their relationship was, they had become extremely close over the past few years. It helped that Kurt also lived in New York and was at their apartment more than he'd like to admit.

"How's my favorite daughter doing?" Burt asked as he walked up to them. Although Finn was his stepson and Rachel was his daughter-in-law, he considered her to be the daughter he never had.

"Your only daughter," Rachel laughed, hugging him.

"Still my favorite," he smiled.

"I'm doing very well, thank you," Rachel grinned. "And you?"

"Great. Excited for the game," he beamed. "Who would have thought that both of the boys would have turned out to be stars, huh? One with his own TV show on Bravo, and the other an NFL QB…"

"They really are something, aren't they?" Rachel grinned at Kurt before glancing down at Finn, who was now talking with Coach Turner.

"So how have you been?" Carole asked excitedly, looking at Rachel. "How's Broadway?"

"Great," Rachel smiled. "Everything's been going really well. I just finished with the revival of _Funny Girl_."

"Which was amazing," Carole smiled. "Any thought as to what role you're going to master next?"

Rachel laughed.

"Actually I was thinking of taking some time off," she shrugged, twisting her wedding band. "You know, enjoy the married life for a few months at least. I mean, I haven't really found a role that I want to play right now. So I figure this is as good a time as any, right?"

Carole gently took her by the arm and led her off away from Burt and Kurt. A telling smile crossed her face.

"So how far along are you?" she asked quietly.

Rachel looked at her questioningly.

"I'm not…" she frowned. "You don't think…? I'm not pregnant."

Carole's smile only got bigger.

"Right," she said softly. "Haven't told him yet, want to wait until he knows to tell everyone else – I get it." Rachel just looked at her quizzically.

"I'm _not_ pregnant," she said seriously. It was starting to get on her nerves.

"Mhmm," Carole said, clearly unconvinced. She kissed Rachel's forehead. "Congrats, sweetheart. You're going to be a fantastic mom."

Rachel shook her head as Carole walked away. She looked down at her abdomen and frowned. Did she need to hit the gym more or something?

"What was that about?" Kurt asked curiously after his Dad had left to rejoin his wife, who was talking with Rachel's fathers.

"I honestly have no idea…" she shook her head incredulously. "Do you think I need to work out more?"

"Please," he rolled his eyes. "You're skinnier than Quinn was as head of the Cheerios. Why?"

Before Rachel could answer, the sportscaster's voice echoed through the stadium as he announced the playing of the National Anthem. She looked at the field. Nervous jitters coursed through her body when she spotted Finn. He was looking up at her, a smile on his face. Rachel's heart started to race. It was going to be a long game.

**gleegleegleeglee**

It was a tough battle, but by the third quarter Finn and his team had secured a one-touchdown lead: 21-14.

And then disaster struck.

After catching an interception and running it nearly back to the goal line, Finn was set to snap the ball from the five-yard line. The first play, a straight run up the middle of the formation, ended in a one-yard gain. On the second down, Finn stepped back and looked to throw the ball, but no one was open. He ran the option, tucking the ball under his arm and running for the end zone.

It seemed like everyone in the entire stadium was on his or her feet when no less than three defenders lunged at him. But Finn didn't go down. He hurled himself against them with all his might, making it into the end zone for a touchdown. But as he fell into the end zone, a fourth defender jumped at him and nailed him square in the left shoulder. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that the hit was not only unnecessary, but also completely intentional. Finn was already clearly in the end zone when the defender even began running towards him.

An eerie silence came over the stadium as Finn fell hard onto the turf, his body bouncing limply as his pads absorbed some of the hit. Rachel was on her feet in a millisecond, as was everyone else.

Finn didn't move for a few moments. Then suddenly he turned over, writhing in pain.

"Finn," Rachel squeaked, terror evident in her voice.

The announcer's voice echoed in her ears: "And the touchdown is good, but a flag is definitely down on the play. Personal foul, number twenty-six of the defense."

"C'mon, baby," Rachel whispered pleadingly under her breath. "Please get up. Finn, get up. Baby, please."

Suddenly their side of the stadium erupted in cheers as Finn got up and walked off the field on his own. He was holding his arm against his body as he trudged off the field with a dejected look on his face.

Rachel was out of her seat in seconds, nearly running out of the room. Carole started after her, but Burt put his hand on her shoulder.

"She'll take care of him," he said gently.

But the situation only started to get worse. As Rachel ran down to see Finn, the kicker missed the field goal, and the opposing team returned the kick for a touchdown.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"Rachel…"

Rachel turned to see Dr. Townsend, the team's head of the medical staff, walking towards her.

"H-how is he?" she asked anxiously.

"It was a really nasty hit. Hudson's a tough one, though. He's in pain, but he'll be fine. We'll get the x-rays back in a few to see just how bad it is," he said calmly. "It'll do him some good to see you, though."

She smiled a bit.

"Thank you," Rachel nodded.

"Anytime," Dr. Townsend said softly before walking away.

Rachel nervously walked into the locker room, her arms wrapped around her body and her strides small. She saw him lying on an exam bench that sort of resembled the chairs in a dentist's office. Her breath caught in her chest. His skin was a few shades paler than it had been minutes prior.

"You had me scared for awhile there, Hudson," she said, trying to sound as calm as she could for his sake.

Finn turned his head. A weak, but clearly relieved smile crossed his face.

"Rach…" he breathed.

"I'm here," she whispered soothingly as she caressed his cheek.

"You know I'm all grimy and gross, right?" he teased.

"I don't care," she shook her head.

She leaned in to kiss him. The kiss was slow and gentle. When they finally pulled away, Rachel smoothed his helmet hair and gave him a sweet smile.

"I love you, my everything," she said quietly.

"Even sweaty, nasty, and gross?" he smirked.

"Actually, oddly enough, it's seriously turning me on," she smiled back, an impish grin on her face.

"Ok, break it up," Dr. Townsend rolled his eyes as he walked in with Finn's x-rays in hand. "Well, Hudson. Nothing's broken. I have no idea how, exactly. That was a hit for the ages. If you feel up to it, they could really use you out of that field. Team's morale is way down, and we lost the lead."

"What?" Finn shot up. He instantly winced in pain, holding his shoulder. "Damn it!"

"Easy," Rachel soothed, putting her hand on his thigh. She knew Finn wanted to go out on the field, but he was in an insane amount of pain. Maybe she would be enough to get him through this game, after all. She turned to Dr. Townsend. "Can you give us a minute?"

He looked at her questioningly, but nodded and walked off.

Finn collapsed back on the bench, staring at the ceiling.

"What am I going to do?" he scowled.

"Well, the Finn I know would never sit here and give up," she said. A gentle smile played at her lips as she intertwined her fingers with his on the bench. "C'mon. Don't you want to be one of those hero quarterbacks who goes back into the game at the last minute and saves the day?" He smiled. "I'd be a great bedtime story for our future kids."

He laughed.

"A few years down the road maybe, when we finally get around to having a kid," he smiled as he ran his thumb along the back of her hand.

Rachel swallowed hard. Her heart was racing in her chest as stared intently at their intertwined fingers.

"…Or nine months down the road," she said quietly.

Finn immediately looked at her. Rachel was looking back at him, a small smile on her face and tears welling up in her eyes.

"Rach… are-are you…?" he stammered, his eyes wide.

"I'm pregnant," she said gently.

Finn sat up on the bench.

"Seriously?" he asked. The makings of one of his adorable big, goofy grins were tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You're pregnant?"

"Yeah," she laughed, sniffling a bit. "I found out a few days ago. I was going to tell you after the game, but I figured it was better to call an audible of my own and tell you now." Finn smiled at her football reference. She smiled back before frowning a bit. "Although it was really awkward because your Mom totally guessed it and cornered me before the game, so I had to play dumb and act like I had no idea where she would come up with such an idea…"

He laughed, that goofy grin Rachel loved so much spreading from ear-to-ear.

"I can't believe it! You're pregnant… like _having a baby_!" he rambled on excitedly. "Oh my God, Rach! You're going to be a mom, and I…" a look a realization crossed his face. "…I'm gonna be a dad."

Rachel couldn't help but think he was absolutely adorable.

Finn jumped off the bench and gently twirled her around in his arms.

"Shoulder's feeling better, I take it?" she smiled.

"With the adrenaline rush I just had, oh yeah," he grinned. "Which reminds me… Doc! I need to get back in the game!"

**gleegleegleeglee**

Rachel reached the suite just in time to see Finn reenter the stadium. Her heart swelled with pride when chants of "Hudson, Hudson, Hudson" filled the air.

"That's my man," she smiled to herself.

"That's my boy!" Burt yelled excitedly.

"Oh, thank God," Carole breathed.

"Took him long enough," Puck mumbled.

"Finally," Kurt said, looking at Rachel. "I was getting worried."

Rachel retook her spot at the front of the box. She turned around to see Carole looking at her knowingly, as if to say 'you told him, didn't you?'. Rachel couldn't bite back her smile this time. She was beaming and she didn't dare hide it. As she watched Finn run back into the huddle, she rested her hand protectively over her lower abdomen. She'd been fighting the urge to do that for days.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Finn had miraculously pulled off the impossible, scoring an option play touchdown in the last three seconds of the game to win it all. Thankfully the defender who hit Finn had been ejected from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct after the flagrant personal foul, so he was out of danger. Glittering confetti and balloons rained down on the field. Reporters, players, and coaches alike were all trying to talk to him, but he didn't care. He just wanted Rachel.

Lucky for him, she came running at him with a huge smile on her face. He caught her in his arms and held her until his shoulder was really killing him.

"Congratulations!" she beamed.

He laughed.

"I just passed the ball, Rach. _You_ saved the day and won the game," he said softly. "You're the heroine of this story… _my_ heroine."

He wiped a tear from her cheek before kissing her completely senseless. They only stopped when a few of his close friends on the team started embarrassing him by whistling at the two of them.

One of his teammates grabbed his good shoulder.

"Hudson, come with us to celebrate."

"Nah, but thanks," Finn shook his head. "Family and friends are here."

"You can go, you know," Rachel said softly. "You deserve to celebrate."

"I am celebrating," he smiled, taking her hands in his. "I'm celebrating my wife's pregnancy and the future birth of our child."

"You have nine months to do that," she said. "You only have one night to celebrate winning the Super Bowl."

"Do you remember what you said to me when I was sick and alone in bed that one time I had the flu when we were dating?" he asked.

"That was the first time I told you that you were my everything," she smiled.

"Yeah," he nodded. "And the day you told me that being my girlfriend was more important than any Broadway role would ever be." He kissed her forehead. "Love's a two-way street, Rach. It works both ways."

"So you'd really rather be with your soon-to-be-very-hormonal wife than be with your teammates partying all night?" she teased.

He hugged her.

"Oh yeah," he laughed. "Even when you're in a hospital bed nine months from now screaming at me to never touch you again."

"Speaking of which," she mumbled against his chest. "Do you remember what I said to you in the locker room?"

"Yeah," he grinned.

"Still turning me on," she smiled.

"Well that's good, because I find you being pregnant to be incredibly sexy," he said quietly.

"No wonder you didn't want to go partying," she laughed.

"It was definitely on the list of reasons…" he smirked.

"As much as I'd like to just go all out right here, right now, we should probably go see everyone," Rachel said. "They only let me onto the field."

"Yeah. You're right. And I have to do the press conference after this," he said, a slightly bitter edge to his voice.

"Patience is a virtue," Rachel smirked as she pulled him towards a far corner of the field where everyone was waiting.

Finn just smiled. He realized he'd probably come to understand the full meaning of the saying 'patience is a virtue' in the months ahead. But if he knew anything, it was that Rachel was his whole life. He'd follow her to the ends of the Earth and back. A nagging voice in the back of his mind told him that the end of the Earth is exactly where he'd be following her over the next nine months. But he didn't care, because all he could think about was the fact that Rachel was pregnant with their baby, and that he was going to be a dad.

**A/N: If you feel so inclined, I would really appreciate a review! Thanks for reading! As always, I hope you enjoyed it!**


	4. Meant to Be

**Disclaimer: I still don't own **_**Glee**_**. Some of the text is taken directly from "Silly Love Songs" so that Finn can use it as a flashback, mind you.**

**Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long since my last update. I lost my muse for a bit, but somehow managed to find it again. As always, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to read and review. I really appreciate the feedback, and hope you continue to enjoy the story. Also, these vignettes are not meant to be in chronological order, although they may be on occasion. This is taken from canon, but the story as a whole isn't meant to be in canon. **_** Italics in the story are a flashback to the conversation, bold text is a general flashback, while bold italics are Finn's thoughts as he reminisces/ponders.**_

**Meant to Be**

Of all the times Finn had ever been sick in his life, this was by far the worst. It wasn't the symptoms of his Mono that were driving him insane, but the conversation he had with Rachel in the nurse's office that replayed over and over and over again in his mind. Two weeks sick in bed gave Finn what felt to be a lifetime to review the situation from every angle imaginable.

At first he was angry. In his mind, Rachel was still guilty of cheating on him. He knew he shouldn't be as mad at her as he was, and he really wasn't in his heart of hearts, but it felt far better to act and convince himself that he was furious at her than it felt to deal with the pain.

_Finn felt someone press a cool washcloth against his forehead. Judging by the gentle touch, he knew whom it was. He opened his eyes to see Rachel staring down at him awkwardly._

_**Why was she even there anyway? Why did she come to torture me? Wasn't it bad enough that I got caught and got Mono?**_

_"Where's Quinn?" Rachel asked, adjusting the washcloth._

_ "Uh… her Mom… picked her up a few hours ago…" he answered drowsily._

_ "Quinn really is very pretty," Rachel replied earnestly._

_ "You don't have to do that… ya know…" his voice trailed off._

_ "No," Rachel said, her voice suddenly somewhat stronger as she reached to press on the white washcloth again and fix his hair. "I would do it for anyone." Her expression darkened. "She's prettier than me…"_

_ "Would you stop?" he said softly, angry that Rachel would both continue the awkward conversation and think of herself that way. "You're beautiful."_

_**You idiot! Why would you say that? You were supposed to be mad at her, remember?**_

_ She looked at him as if she "knew" that he was just saying that so she would drop the subject._

_ "I know she is," Rachel said as she sat on the bed across from him. "It meant so much to me that you chose me over her. Girls like me don't get chosen over girls like her very much." Finn shut his eyes; he wanted so desperately to be anywhere but there. "Did you kiss her?" she continued. "Like Santana said?"_

_ Finn shut his eyes, exhaling quietly. Did he really have to answer that?_

_ "Yeah, yeah," he mumbled. "But I-I just needed to get it out of my system."_

_ "So what did it feel like? …When you kissed her…" She asked._

_ He smiled a bit, just enough to make the corners of his mouth tip upwards._

_ "…Fireworks…" he answered._

_ "Did you see fireworks when you kissed me?" Rachel asked, looking as if she were about to cry._

_ There it was. The question hit him at point-blank range. He should have expected it, but he didn't._

_**Of course I didn't feel fireworks when I kissed you.**_

_ Finn thought it over for a few quick seconds. He smiled a bit and opened his mouth to answer._

_**But of course, she didn't let me. The one time it would have matter- no, no, it wouldn't have changed a thing. We're over. She cheated. Fireworks are good enough for me.**_

_ Rachel nodded and got up from the bed to leave._

_ "Rachel, wait," Finn propped himself up on his arms, the washcloth falling from his head to his lap._

_**I should have let her go. I should have let her walk away.**_

_ "No," she turned, a slight hitch in her voice betraying how much he had hurt her. "It's good. Thank you. Y-You've given me the strength to move on. I know now that there's nothing here for me anymore."_

_ "That's not the truth," he looked up at her. "I still - I-I'm just… I'm so confused in my head right now."_

_**Confused? What was I thinking? I'm not confused. Rachel cheated on me with Puck. I don't love her. I do not 'still' love her.**_

_ "No, it's ok. I understand. Now I'm free to pursue my dreams without anything holding me back. And you've actually inspired my song selection for this week's love song assignment. Feel better, Finn."_

_**So that's what I was doing? Holding you back? Did you ever think it was the other way around, Rachel? Did you ever think that your crazy, obsessive need to be the best all the time ever held me back? Did you ever stop and recognize that dating you knocked me from hero to zero? And I held **_**you**_** back? That's so like you, Rachel. That's so like you to think about you, you, you, you, you - all the time, you!**_

_ He watched her walk through the curtains, away from him, away from _**them**_. With that, he collapsed on the bed again, feeling even worse than before._

**Finn slammed his fist down on his bed, growling as his hand collided with the hard plastic of the TV remote. He glanced over to the far corner of his room by his computer where a few remaining shards of glass still glistened in the sunlight from where they lay embedded in his carpet. The picture of he and Rachel lay discarded in the broken picture frame, a massive scratch straight through his face from where glass hit the print when he threw it against the wall the day prior. He hated what she did to him, hated how it felt like she abandoned him. He hated how much he still loved her.**

By the time a full week passed, Finn felt as if he were going insane. Day and night he heard Rachel's voice in his head. Every time he closed his eyes he saw her face. His heart started to ache as the days went by, and every text from Quinn made him want to crawl in a hole and die. Finn began to hate Rachel less and less, and himself more and more. The nurse's office conversation made him realize how ridiculous he was being. When Rachel was with Jesse, he told her that his being an ass was what kept them from being together. And now he was doing it all over again. Yeah, she had cheated on him. But he cheated on Quinn with Rachel twice when he and Quinn were dating. He started to think that maybe he was only this angry with Rachel because he didn't want to admit that he was really mad at himself. Neither he nor Rachel was completely innocent, but that didn't by any means make her evil.

"Fireworks…" he said aloud into the emptiness of his room as he finally mustered up the will to retrieve the picture from the frame he threw at the wall the week prior.

_"Did you kiss her?" she continued. "Like Santana said?"_

_ Finn shut his eyes, exhaling quietly. Did he really have to answer that?_

_ "Yeah, yeah," he mumbled. "But I-I just needed to get it out of my system."_

_ "So what did it feel like? …When you kissed her…" She asked._

_ He smiled a bit, just enough to make the corners of his mouth tip upwards._

_ "…Fireworks…" he answered._

_**Liar.**_

_ "Did you see fireworks when you kissed me?" Rachel asked, looking as if she were about to cry._

_**Tell her the truth. Say it.**_

_ There it was. The question hit him at point-blank range. He should have expected it, but he didn't._

_ Finn thought it over for a few quick seconds. He smiled a bit and opened his mouth to answer._

_**But I hesitated, because I wanted to stay mad at her.**_

_ Rachel nodded and got up from the bed to leave._

_ "Rachel, wait," Finn propped himself up on his arms, the washcloth falling from his head to his lap._

_**I shouldn't have let her walk away. I should have gotten up and begged her to stay.**_

_ "No," she turned, a slight hitch in her voice betraying how much he had hurt her. "It's good. Thank you. Y-You've given me the strength to move on. I know now that there's nothing here for me anymore."_

_**Look at how badly I hurt her.**_

_ "That's not the truth," he looked up at her. "I still - I-I'm just… I'm so confused in my head right now."_

_**I wasn't confused. I was angry. I was angry at myself.**_

_ "No, it's ok. I understand. Now I'm free to pursue my dreams without anything holding me back. And you've actually inspired my song selection for this week's love song assignment. Feel better, Finn."_

_**Rachel, no. Please don't go. Please…**_

_ He watched her walk through the curtains, away from him, away from _**them**_. With that, he collapsed on the bed again, feeling even worse than before._

He folded the picture over so that it was just Rachel smiling up at him. He heard his Mom say once that time or distance or something like that made the heart grow fonder. He had been away from both Quinn and Rachel for exactly fourteen days. If he were truly in love with Quinn, then why wasn't his heart 'growing fonder' for her instead of Rachel?

Finn took in a deep breath, tapping his foot anxiously. He had been cooped up in his house for two weeks. Two weeks of not seeing her smile, or hearing her laugh. Two weeks of pretending to be thinking about Quinn, when he could only think of Rachel. Two weeks of Rachel not knowing how he really felt. Two weeks of her believing that they would never be together. Two weeks of her not knowing he truth.

With a quick glance at the clock, Finn was up and in the shower. All he had been able to do for fourteen days was eat, sleep, and barely muster up enough energy to go to the bathroom. But with the courage of his conviction to tell Rachel how he really felt, he was up and in the shower in seconds.

He was out and dressed by 4:05. He was still shivering, wavering between boiling and freezing because of his slight fever, but he wasn't necessarily contagious as long as he didn't sneeze on, cough on, share a drink with, or kiss her. He sighed at the latter, but would never want to get her sick.

By 4:10 he was out of the house and in the car. Thankfully his mom had left the car in the event of an emergency so he could get himself to the doctor or elsewhere. Finn decided this was most definitely an emergency. Just as he put the car in reverse, he stopped.

"_**Wait**_," he shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. "_**This is insane. What am I going to say? What is she going to say? What happens if she… if she really meant that I was holding her back…?**_"

"No," he said aloud, his voice strong and his mind made up. "No. Hesitation and stupidity stopped me from telling her the truth in the first place. I'm not doing it again."

**gleegleegleeglee**

Rachel yawned as she changed into yoga pants and a sweatshirt, ready to spend another Friday night home alone. Her dads were about to leave for their weekly date night. _Funny Girl_ was already in her DVD player waiting for her. She brushed and towel dried her hair, letting it cascade in wet waves down her back and over her shoulders. She wasn't going out and no one was going to see her, so she didn't care.

"Bye, sweetheart!" Leroy Berry called from downstairs.

"We'll be back late. Daddy and I have our phones if you need to reach us," Hiram added.

"Ok! Have fun!" Rachel called cheerily from upstairs. She sighed inwardly. Not even her Dads were staying home on a Friday night.

She heard the door close a few moments later. Minutes later, Rachel heard the door open and shut again soon thereafter. She sighed. One of her dads always forgot something and had to run back in and get it. She laughed to herself, thankful that she wasn't nearly as prone to forgetfulness. Suddenly there was a knock on her bedroom door. Rachel frowned a bit before shrugging and walking to open the door, thinking it was one of her Dads coming up to remind her of something.

"Finn?" she gasped. "Oh my God. What are you doing here?"

Rachel nervously zipped up her sweatshirt, feeling suddenly way too exposed in a tank top, yoga pants, and a sweatshirt. She couldn't help but notice that Finn still looked sick as a dog. He was sweating and pale, and his eyes were dark and mildly sunken in.

"She's…" he swallowed hard. "She's not prettier than you."

"What?" Rachel frowned. "Finn, you're clearly not feeling well," she said anxiously, gently grabbing his arm and pulling him towards her bed. "Just lie down and I'll call your mom."

"No, Rachel, please listen to me," he begged her. "I'm still kind of sick, yeah. But that's not the reason I feel this way. Please, just… just hear me out."

Rachel looked at him incredulously. One minute she was about to watch _Funny Girl_, and the next her sick-with-Mono ex-boyfriend was in her room begging her to talk.

"O-ok," she nodded.

He gave her a small nod in return.

"Look, Rach, I was such a jerk to you in the nurse's office. And-and I'm _so _sorry," he started.

"Finn, don't worry about it. Ok? We're over. I get it. We both moved on," Rachel nodded.

"No!" he almost shouted in a panic. Rachel's eyes widened as she watched him. Finn reached out and put his hands on her arms. "Rachel, please. Just listen to what I have to say. You can say whatever you want after, but please hear me out. And please, please believe what I'm saying."

Finn looked like he was about to collapse.

"Ok, ok," Rachel said gently. "Just relax. I'm not going anywhere."

That calmed him down a bit, but for reasons she didn't yet understand.

"Rachel… Quinn isn't prettier than you," Finn said seriously. Rachel didn't say anything, but the look in her eyes told him she thought he was out of his mind. "Please believe me, Rach. I'm done lying to you. I promised you that. Believe me when I say she's not prettier than you because you're truly beautiful, Rachel." Rachel's expression softened a bit. "Yeah, Quinn's pretty, but she's nowhere near you. On the outside, you're gorgeous. You have the most amazing smile, and glistening amber eyes that sparkle brighter than any star ever could. And you hate your nose, but it's one of the things I like most about you because I see those things you think are imperfections, as what make you perfect."

Rachel's mouth was slightly agape as she looked at him. Part of her was wondering how this has all happened, while the other was wondering if she were dreaming.

"And, you were right when you said girls like you don't get picked over girls like Quinn very often. Do you know why that is, Rachel?" Finn asked. She shook her head slowly. "It's because we're afraid. Girls like you make guys actually emotionally feel something for once. Instead of the relationship being about sex or making out or whatever, it's about something more. And that's terrifying." Finn took a deep breath, trying and failing to keep calm. Between the medicine, the other symptoms of Mono, and the high fever he was experiencing, Finn was quickly losing his strength. He swallowed hard.

"I don't see fireworks when I kiss you, Rachel," he said quietly. She bit her lip and looked away, clearly wondering why he said all of that only to knock her back down. Finn put his hands on her arms. "When we kiss, Rachel, I _feel_ fireworks exploding, rockets blasting into space, the whole nine yards. But I don't see any of that." Rachel looked up at him, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. Finn took Rachel's hands in his, almost inwardly shocked when she let him. "Rach… when we kiss, I see the future - our future _together_. I see us married with a kid or two, living in New York with you on Broadway and me hopefully playing football in the NFL. I see _us_, Rach. That's why I don't see fireworks when we kiss. For crying out loud, Rachel, sometimes just the way you look at me can make me see stars or fireworks or rockets or whatever. I can't explain how you make me feel, Rachel. You know, in that movie you made me watch, _Forrest Gump_, he said that, even though he wasn't the smartest guy around, he still knew what love was. That's true for me. I'm not the most intelligent guy, but I know what love is supposed to be and supposed to feel like. And that's you, Rach." A tear ran down Rachel's cheek as he continued. "I was an idiot to let you leave the other day without telling you that, but I was still stupidly holding a grudge for that mess with Puck. If I didn't keep that whole Santana thing from you, and didn't hurt you, you never would have done it. Neither of us were right in what we did, but the past is the past." Finn swallowed hard. "I just… I couldn't keep letting you think that I never felt anything for you. Honestly, Rach, if there was one thing I've learned this past two weeks, it's that Quinn wasn't my first true love. I thought she was, but, every moment I'm with her, I can't stop wishing I were with you. But then, when you said that you wanted to pursue your dreams without anyone holding you back - maybe us not being together is what's best for _you. _If that's the case, then I'll always be there for you even if we're not together. I just… I wanted to let you know how I feel, I guess." Finn bit his lip. "I know I said like a ton of stuff, and it was crazy deep, and I'm really sorry I barged in on your Friday night _Funny Girl_ watching. I just had to clear it all up." He looked around the room awkwardly. "I'll, uh… I'll see you around I guess."

He turned to walk away, leaving Rachel with her mouth agape and another tear rolling down her cheek.

"Did you mean that…?"

Finn turned back to Rachel.

"Every word…" he said quietly. "I'm sorry if I freaked you out or something. I know it was kind of heavy and deep and stuff."

Rachel laughed lightly.

"You didn't freak me out," she said.

"Oh… good," Finn nodded, not knowing what else to say.

Rachel smiled and gently pulled him to her bed.

"Rachel, I-I don't think-" Finn stammered. "I mean, I would so love to, but I'm still kind of contagious…"

Rachel looked at him crossly.

"You're such a guy," she rolled her eyes and pushed him onto the bed. "You look like you're about to pass out, and you're running a high fever. Bed. Now."

"Oh…" Finn nodded sheepishly. "Sorry."

Rachel dug some extra blankets out of the hallway closet as Finn shivered under her covers. He had no idea how he made it this long without a nap. He was exhausted. She laid the blankets over him and tucked them in.

"Maybe when you're all better," she teased, running her hand through his hair. "I'm going to call your mom so she doesn't worry about you. Just relax and try to sleep."

"Thanks, Rach," Finn said tiredly.

She nodded, smiling a bit. Rachel turned to leave the room.

"Rach?" Finn called after her.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"D-Does this mean we're-" his voice trailed off.

Rachel smiled gently, walking over and sitting on the edge of the bed. She cupped his face in her hands and looked into his eyes.

"Finn Hudson, I will love you always and forever," she said before kissing his forehead. "Now get some rest."

Finn smiled for the first time in two weeks.

"I love you, too," he grinned, laying his head on Rachel's pillow and practically drinking in the smell of her shampoo.

As Rachel left the room to call Carole, she couldn't help but wonder how Finn thought he was anything but intelligent. Sure, he wasn't necessarily the best in his classes at school, but when it came to the most important aspects of life, he was more astute than any other guy she'd ever met.

Their relationship would never be easy, but both Rachel and Finn knew at that moment that they were meant to be together no matter what.

**A/N: If you feel so inclined, I would really appreciate a review! Thanks for reading! As always, I hope you enjoyed it!**


	5. Your Daddy's Son Part I

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Glee**_**, **_**Top Gun**_**, **_**Ragtime **_**(source of the title of the chapter) or Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. You know the drill.**

**Author's Note: Seeing as Father's Day is approaching, I couldn't resist writing a Finchel accompaniment to the holiday. This chapter is written in honor of and with the utmost respect for every member of the armed forces, retired or on active duty. (And especially to the United States Marines: OORAH!) As you can imagine, this will be about Finn and his father. The chapter is really long, so I separated it into two parts. Although this is in no way a commentary on war, if it offends you that this chapter deals with Finn's father's legacy as a U.S. Marine, then please simply navigate away from the page instead of leaving a harsh review. Thank you very much for reading, and I hope you enjoy the chapter! **_Also, in this story, Finn's father's remains were never cremated._

**Your Daddy's Son**

** PART I - Rachel's Mission**

"_None of you can ever be proud enough of being the child of such a father who has not his equal in this world - so great, so good, so faultless. Try, all of you, to follow in his footsteps and don't be discouraged, for to be really in everything like him none of you, I am sure, will ever be. Try, therefore, to be like him in some points, and you will have acquired a great deal." - Queen Victoria of England_

Rachel anxiously drummed her fingers on the table. Kurt watched intently from where he sat across from her.

"What do you want?" a gruff voice rang through Rachel's ears.

Kurt frowned as Rachel's eyes widened.

"Uh, hello," Rachel answered, biting her lip. "Is this Major Peter Kolfer?"

A long silence met her words.

"No," the man answered, clearly irritated by her question. "He's not here and he never will be. Don't ever call me again."

He hung up the phone, and Rachel winced at the loud thud of him slamming the phone back onto the receiver. Kurt looked at her worriedly.

"That clearly didn't go well," he said softly.

"How could you tell?" she mumbled bitterly. She let out a long sigh. "I'm pretty sure it was him, though."

"What makes you think that?" Kurt asked.

"Because no one reacts like that to someone dialing the wrong number," Rachel replied.

"So what are you going to do?" Kurt frowned. "The guy clearly doesn't want to be found, let alone go along with your plan."

"I have to find him, Kurt," Rachel shook her head as she pushed a cherry tomato around her plate. "I have to do this for Finn."

"You do realize that he's not even a father yet, so Father's Day technically doesn't apply," Kurt shrugged.

Rachel smirked and affectionately rubbed her small baby bump.

"He will be soon enough," she said insistently before her smile faded. "Besides, I can see how scared he is about all of this. I know he'd never say it because he wants to be a manly man and be his regular overprotective-of-me self, but he's terrified. I need to do this for him. It won't make all of the fear go away, but it will hopefully at least bring him closure."

"Not to pry, diva, but don't you kind of have the same problem?" Kurt asked pointedly. "You know, with Shelby…"

Rachel took a long sip of water and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She had been trying to ignore her constant thoughts of Shelby ever since she'd learned she was pregnant.

"My closure was that she found me, realized she didn't want me, and replaced me with Beth," she answered bitterly, albeit it somewhat of a lie. "As far as I'm concerned, she can watch me and weep as I take over the world of entertainment."

"Cheers to that," Kurt smirked, holding up his water. "Miss Nominated-for-a-Grammy-another-Tony-and-already-won-two-before-turning-twenty-five. Oh, and we can't forget the glorious start of your own company, making you an up-and-coming media mogul."

Rachel smiled and glanced just behind Kurt's shoulder to where her caricature was hanging on the wall. She raised her glass to his.

"And to the most fabulous fashion-designer-Bravo-star combo on the planet," she added as their glasses chinked. "Not to mention my associate up-and-coming media mogul."

"We are pretty fabulous, aren't we?" Kurt laughed.

"Yes, indeed," Rachel nodded before letting out a sigh. "But all the Tonys in the world won't help me pull this off for Finn."

"Rachel, you're the queen of overcoming the odds," Kurt said reassuringly. "You'll find a way. You always do."

**gleegleegleeglee**

And find a way she did.

"Do you really have to leave?" Finn mumbled heavily against Rachel's lips.

"I can't miss the meeting," Rachel murmured, her heart still thundering in her chest from the kiss he had just given her.

"But it's all the way in LA," he halfheartedly whined. "And I have to stay here because of that damn press tour."

Rachel reached up and caressed his cheek, looking deeply into his eyes.

"I'll be home in two days," she said softly. "Ok?" He looked at her sadly, nodding. She ran her hand through his hair affectionately. "I'll be home before you know it."

"As soon as you're in the door, I'm wrapping my arms around you and never letting go," Finn smirked. He put his hands on Rachel's baby bump. "I'm never letting either of you go."

Rachel smiled up at him. He grinned back and bent to kiss her stomach before giving her a tender kiss.

"I love you both so much," he whispered.

"I'm sure I can speak for us both when I say we love you more than anything," Rachel said as she squeezed his big hands in hers. She bit her lip. "I have to go. I have a flight to catch."

"I know," he nodded as David opened the car door for her. He gave her one last soft kiss before helping her into the car. "You know you're my life, right, Rach?" he smirked.

"Just like you know you're my everything, Finny," Rachel smiled back at him.

He let out a light laugh before winking at her and closing the car door. He tapped the door twice and David pulled away from the curb. Rachel watched as he grew smaller and smaller in the distance, standing out in the summer rain to watch the car disappear down the road.

She dug out her phone as soon as they turned the corner and she texted Kurt.

"Operation Bring Hudson Home is a go," she sent.

"Since we're doing this: fair winds and following seas, ma'am," Kurt texted back.

An ear-to-ear grin stretched across Rachel's face. Kurt had helped her with all of the research she did prior to enacting her plan, which included reading just about every Navy and Marine Corps saying listed anywhere online. They had both learned more about the armed forces in the past few weeks than either could shake a stick at, but it had instilled in both Kurt and Rachel a deep respect for those serving.

"If Finn's father were here I think he'd say…" Rachel paused a moment, her heart suddenly swelling with pride as she typed, "_Semper Fi_."

"Oorah!," Kurt typed back. "Now go find Major Kolfer and get this show on the road!"

"En route to the plane now. I'll call you later," Rachel typed.

"Good luck, diva mommy," Kurt replied.

"Thanks. I'll need it," Rachel responded.

**gleegleegleeglee**

And need it she did.

Rachel mulled over her plan all the way from New York to Cleveland. She felt bad for lying to Finn about what she was actually doing, but she knew that it would be more than worth it in the end if her plan worked. Still, that was _if_ her plan worked. She had ended up calling Major Peter Kolfer at least ten more times, each time pleading with him to hear her out. Each time he'd hung up on her. Still, she wasn't going to give up. She couldn't give up. This was Finn's one and only real chance to know his father, even if it was through an ornery retired Marine who was clearly trying as hard to retain his anonymity as Rachel was trying to find him.

As the plane landed in Ohio, Rachel's stomach was doing somersaults. She'd been planning this for months, but it had been in the back of her mind for years. Finn had grown into an incredible man, but he always had a chip on his shoulder. He refused to show it, and it wasn't always noticeable, but it was there. She knew his pain more than anyone because of what she'd been through with Shelby. If there was one thing she would give him above all else, it was closure. All the stories in the world from his mother couldn't bring Christopher Hudson to life because she only knew half of the story. She knew the man who was her husband, her lover, and the father of her only son. But she didn't really know the Marine. She didn't know the details of his missions, the way he interacted with his men, or even how he died. Carole had been told that her husband died in combat, but the mission was classified and she couldn't receive any information beyond that. In passing, Carole had once likened it to Maverick's problem in _Top Gun_ - a movie Rachel had gained a lot more respect for after marrying her husband. Maverick's lack of knowledge about the circumstances surrounding his father's death was much like Finn's, although Christopher Hudson died a reputable hero whereas Maverick's father was wrongfully accused of ditching his fellow pilots in a dogfight. Still, Maverick lived with questions of his father swirling around in his mind until his commanding officer at the school revealed that he was in the dogfight with his father and that Maverick's father actually died a hero after being shot down over some arbitrary geographical boundary. While Rachel didn't know exactly how successful her own mission would be, she hoped that she could help Finn in some way. He was scared to death of fatherhood, and she knew it was largely because he never really had one growing up. By the time Burt came into his life, Finn was a year away from college. And, although Burt had been there for Finn whenever he needed a father figure, he wasn't Christopher Hudson. Rachel was positive Finn would be the most amazing father ever to exist, but she knew he didn't think so. As she disembarked the plane, Rachel vowed to find Major Kolfer and talk to him at the very least. After the research she had done with Carole and Kurt, she had discovered the Kolfer was the last remaining member of Finn's father's infantry division. Not only that, but he had been Christopher Hudson's best friend while they were in the Corps.

Before she knew it, Rachel was walking out of the secure area of the airport and into Carole's arms. Several people had already started to gape at the sight of the famous Rachel Berry walking through the airport, but Rachel's mind was elsewhere.

"Hey, sweetie!" Carole smiled as she threw her arms around her daughter-in-law. "Oh, I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too," Rachel smiled, hugging Carole tightly.

"Are you ready?" Carole asked quietly. Rachel looked up at her and nodded. Carole reached up and cupped Rachel's cheek in her hand. "You are, without a doubt, the best thing that has ever happened to him." She smiled and kissed Rachel's forehead. Rachel gave her a gentle smile.

"Really? Because I think he's the best thing that's ever happened to _me_," she replied lightheartedly.

Carole smiled and put her arm around Rachel, kissing her forehead again.

"I love you, honey," she said softly.

Rachel leaned against Carole as they started off towards baggage claim.

"I love you, too," she nodded.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Rachel sighed as she pulled up in front of the house: 3404 Hudson Street. _How ironic_, she thought. She took a deep breath and got out of the car, locking it as she walked the little ways down the sidewalk to the brick path up to the house. The yard was a mess, and the brick pathway was dingy and cracked. The house was dilapidated to say the least. Nonetheless, a flagpole stood tall in the front yard - the only neat and well-kempt part of the entire house from what Rachel could see. The flag was flying at half-staff and a yellow bow was tied around the middle of the spotless flagpole. While it was abundantly clear that Major Kolfer didn't care what anyone thought of his house, it was just as evident that he loved having the American Flag fly above his home. It wasn't anything definite, but it was a glimmer of hope for Rachel. He may have been a curmudgeon, but he was a proud retired Marine.

She mustered up her courage and rang the doorbell. After several minutes with no answer, she rang it again, and again, and again before resorting to knocking. She heard him inside and knew he was avoiding answering the door. Finally she heard him walk towards the door.

"What do you _want_?" he growled, yanking the door open.

"Major Peter Kolfer?" Rachel asked, taking a mental note of how well his image fit his attitude. His hair was salt-and-pepper gray and stuck up in just about every direction, and he looked as if he hadn't shaved in a few days.

"Oh, God," he groaned. "_You_! Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"If you'll just listen to me-" Rachel tried.

"I haven't been a Major in anything for a very long time," he said exasperatedly. "The guy you're looking for is long gone."

"No he's not," Rachel frowned. "Not as long as that flag is still flying in your yard."

That seemed to take him off guard. A flicker of life sparkled in his eyes before they became dim again.

"Stop harassing me, girl," he said angrily, trying to yank the door shut.

Rachel caught the door and forced it halfway open, a determined look on her face.

"I'm here because of Colonel Christopher Hudson," she said unwaveringly.

The man turned to look at her, bewilderment flickering through his eyes before they grew distant again.

"He's dead," Major Kolfer said, an icy chill in his voice.

"I know," Rachel said calmly.

"Why are you here, then?" Kolfer growled irritably, turning his back to Rachel.

"Because I'm married to his son," she said resolutely.

A tense silence met her words. It clearly had some effect on Kolfer, because he turned around and looked at her in question.

"Finn?" he said after a long while, a look of realization crossing his face. "You mean that's Chris's boy in the NFL?"

Rachel's expression softened and she walked further inside, shutting the door behind her. He clearly knew who both she and Finn were.

"Yeah," she nodded. "That's him."

"And you're his wife?" Kolfer asked, his eyes widening.

Rachel nodded.

"We've been together since high school," she answered.

Kolfer let out a long sigh and sunk into a warn out old armchair that let out a cloud of dust as he sat. He gestured for Rachel to sit down on the couch. She sat down and watched him for a long while as he stared off into the distance. She could almost see the cogs turning in his head as he processed everything that was going on.

"So what… uh… what brings you here?" Kolfer asked after a long while.

"Finn," Rachel said softly.

"What about him? Is he ok?" Kolfer frowned. There was an urgency in his voice as he asked, a flicker of sensitivity that made Rachel's heart sink for some reason she couldn't place.

"Yeah, yeah, he's fine," Rachel nodded. "It's just…" she paused, trying to think of how to phrase what she wanted to say, "I want to help him find answers."

"What kind of answers?" Kolfer asked edgily.

"About his father," Rachel answered. "Who he was, what he was like, and-"

"You're asking the wrong person," Kolfer scowled. "Shouldn't his mom know all that stuff?"

"She knew the man, not the Marine," Rachel shrugged.

Kolfer laughed and shook his head.

"You've never really been around Marines, have you?" he asked. Rachel looked at him questioningly. "They're one in the same, man and Marine. Just like there's no such thing as a former Marine. Once you're in the brotherhood, you're in it for life - heart and mind, body and soul."

"All the more reason you can help," Rachel said strongly.

"With what?" Kolfer frowned. "You say you need answers, but what for?"

Rachel sighed.

"After Finn's father died, his mother raised him on her own," she explained. "He didn't have a father or even a father figure until high school, really." She swore she saw a shred of guilt cloud Kolfer's eyes. "He grew up to be an amazing man," she paused, "but not knowing his father has always haunted him. A huge part of him, of who he is has been missing his entire life, and I think you can help fill in some of the gap."

Kolfer hesitated, studying Rachel intently.

"Why now?" he asked. "It's been twenty-some-odd years since Chris died. Why are you here _now_?"

Rachel was silent for a moment as she met his gaze.

"I've been wanting to do this for a long time," she said softly. "But my pregnancy sort of catalyzed it, I guess."

Kolfer's eyes widened.

"Finn's gonna be a…" he stammered. "You're knocked up…? He knocked you up?"

"_Pregnant_," Rachel scowled at him. "I'm _pregnant_, not knocked up. Finn and I _are_ married. Why is that so shocking, anyway?"

"Because the last time I saw the kid was in a picture Chris got in a letter from home. The boy was no bigger than my forearm," Kolfer said, shaking his head as he stared at the floor. "And now he's gonna be a dad?"

"Yeah, which is the problem," Rachel said quietly. Kolfer looked up at her in question. "He's scared of being a father because he never had one growing up," she explained as simply as possible. "_I_ know that he'll be such an incredible father… but I also know that he doesn't think he will be."

Kolfer looked up at her and scowled.

"What do you want _me_ to do about it?" he asked gruffly.

"I want you to tell him about his father," Rachel answered unwaveringly.

"And why the hell would I do that?" Kolfer narrowed his eyes at her.

"Because Chris would want you to," Rachel said calmly, but simply.

"You don't know that," Kolfer snorted. "You didn't even know him!"

"No, I didn't," Rachel shook her head. "But I know and love his son." Her expression hardened. "And if Finn is anything like his father, then I'm sure Chris would want you to do this - if not even as a friend or a brother, then at least as a fellow Marine." She felt bad pulling the guilt card when she knew it hurt every single time she mentioned the Marines and Chris Hudson together, but she was running out of ways to convince him.

Kolfer looked at the floor and drummed his fingers on his knee. It felt like forever before he gave her a small nod. Her heart skipped a beat.

"But _only_ because Chris Hudson was the best damn Marine I ever had the honor of knowing," he added gruffly, pointing a finger at her.

Rachel smiled widely.

"Thank you, Major Kolfer," she nodded.

"Peter," he said softly. "Chris was family and so are you now… I guess."

**gleegleegleeglee**

Rachel's heart raced in her chest as they passed the Lincoln Memorial. She glanced over at Finn, who was looking out of the window with a perplexed expression on his face. They had traveled to D.C. on the premise that she had to go to a charity luncheon for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. While that was actually true, the luncheon wasn't for another month.

"Rach, you know we passed the venue five blocks back, right?" Finn pointed out.

Rachel squeezed his hand in hers and ran her thumb back and forth over his knuckles. By the look on his face, she could tell he knew she was up to something.

"Trust me," she said almost pleadingly. He looked anxious, but nodded at her before looking out the window again.

As they crossed Arlington Memorial Bridge, Finn shifted uncomfortably in his seat and his hold on Rachel's hand tightened. Her heart sank. She couldn't help but wonder if she was doing the right thing. Regardless, it was far too late to go back.

**Author's Note:**

**Part II will be up ASAP! Thanks for reading, and happy Father's Day! Reviews are greatly appreciated!**


	6. Your Daddy's Son Part II

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Glee**_**, or **_**Ragtime **_**(source of the title of the chapter). You know the drill.**

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy Part II! **_Also, in this story, Finn's father's remains were never cremated._

**Your Daddy's Son**

** PART II - Of Heroes and Chairs**

Finn dug his hands further into his pockets as he and Kolfer walked down the wet sidewalk surrounding Arlington National Cemetery. His mind was still spinning as he tried to figure out how this had happened. One minute he was headed for a charity luncheon with Rachel, and the next he was getting out of the car at Arlington, face-to-face with his Mom and a guy in full Marine Dress Blues who had supposedly served with his Dad in the Corps.

_"Hey, honey," Carole gave Finn a reassuring smile._

_ "Hi, Mom," he said somewhat awkwardly as he gave her a hug._

_ "Finn," Rachel said softly, squeezing his hand in hers as he and Kolfer exchanged glances. "This is Major Peter Kolfer."_

_ "Peter," Kolfer nodded, offering his hand to shake._

_ Finn took his hand._

_ "Finn," he nodded._

_ Kolfer cracked a smile._

_ "Strong handshake," he mused. "Just like your old man."_

_ Finn's eyes widened._

_ "Honey," Carole began somewhat uneasily, "Peter served with Dad in the Marines."_

_ "Oh," Finn said anxiously after a few moments. "So… uh, what… what brings you out here?"_

_ Kolfer glanced at Rachel and Carole before looking back at Finn._

_ "Why don't we, uh, take a walk?" he said pointedly. Finn looked at Kolfer for a few moments before giving him a small nod. Kolfer gave him a small smile before turning to the girls. "You ladies know where to meet us."_

_ Rachel nodded, letting go of Finn's hand. He looked at her nervously. She flashed him a gentle smile and gave him a soft, sweet kiss. He managed a small smile in return before looking back at Kolfer. The two headed off down the sidewalk, both with their hands in their pockets and keeping a large gap between them._

Rachel. Finn looked back over his shoulder as discretely as he could, hoping to see her. He swallowed hard, watching the edge of her raincoat disappear as she and his Mom started off toward some destination unbeknown to him. The crushing need to be near her was making his heart pound in his ears.

"Some wife you got there, Finn," Kolfer said softly.

Finn snapped back into reality, forcing himself to tear his gaze from where Rachel disappeared around the corner and look back at Kolfer. He nodded. The more he thought of her, the harder it was to breathe.

"She tracked me down for months on the phone; even came to my house when I wouldn't answer her calls anymore," Kolfer smirked. "She kind of yelled at me until I agreed to do this."

Finn had to laugh.

"That's Rachel," he conceded. "If she has her heart set on something, she won't stop until she gets it."

"Yeah, I'll say," Kolfer shook his head, smirking.

Silence fell between them again. Finn kept his eyes trained on the shimmering wet concrete. He was determined not to see the rows of gravestones standing tall on the emerald green grass.

"Your Dad would have loved her," Kolfer said after a long while.

Finn's chest tightened. He felt his heart simultaneously both sink and swell with love and pride.

"…Really?" he asked after a few moments. His voice sounded as small and innocent as it did when he was a little kid. Heat crept across the back of his neck as he cleared his throat. "Really?" he asked again, this time his voice stronger.

"Oh, yeah," Kolfer nodded, smiling softly. "Extremely smart, very funny, incredibly beautiful, heart of gold," he elbowed Finn, "not to mention that she's nuts about you." Finn smiled. "Really, Finn," Kolfer continued. "He would have loved her _so_ much. Chris couldn't have wished for anything better for you."

Finn looked up, meeting Kolfer's gaze for the first time as they both shared a small smile.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Rachel and Carole walked out of the Visitor's Center and into the cool spring air. They watched as everyone continued up the path through the cemetery. Rachel put her hand over her stomach and let out a quiet sigh. Carole wrapped her arms around her daughter-in-law and kissed her on the cheek.

"You think he'll be ok?" Rachel asked quietly.

"Chris may not have been around when he was growing up, but Finn still grew up to be just like his father," she said gently. "He'll be fine; he's a big boy."

"How are _you_ doing with all of this?" Rachel asked.

"Actually, I'm really ok," Carole nodded. "I'll always love Chris, and I'd be lying if I said that I didn't miss him every single day of my life. But I have Finn, and you, and Burt, and Kurt, and everyone else in my life. I'm really happy. Of course I wish Chris were still here, but I'm very happy with how my life turned out. And I'm happy I moved on; Chris would have wanted me to." She paused and gave Rachel a soft, proud smile. "I wish the two of you could have met, though. Chris would have loved you so much, Rachel. So, _so _much." She paused for a moment as Rachel blinked back tears. "Just as I do, and just as Burt does."

"I love you guys, too," Rachel smiled, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

"Come on," Carole grinned, taking Rachel's hand and starting off towards the main pathway through the cemetery. "Let's go catch up with everyone."

**gleegleegleeglee**

"So you served with my Dad in the Marines?" Finn asked, glancing at Kolfer.

"Oh, yeah," Kolfer nodded. "I was under his command. Chris was a colonel. I served as his XO… uh, executive officer, most of our time in combat. His regiment was comprised of over two-thousand men." Finn's eyes widened and Kolfer smiled. "Yeah, your old man was an important guy, Finn. He was definitely one of the most well respected colonels out there. Hell, he was one of the most respected leaders out there _period_ - especially in a combat environment."

"Why's that?" Finn asked curiously.

"Because your Dad stood by every man and woman who ever fought under him, or beside him," Kolfer said seriously. "If one of his soldiers was out in the field, so was your Dad. He never took no for an answer. He was always there… _always_." Kolfer paused a moment to glance at Finn before returning his gaze to the sidewalk below his feet. "His regiment earned the nickname "Huckleberry" because of him."

Finn stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening as he looked at Kolfer. The older man threw him a smirk.

"That's right, Huckleberry," Kolfer nodded. "That's where your name came from."

"I was named after his regiment?" Finn asked.

"Yes and no," Kolfer said softly as they continued walking. "Your Dad told your Mom about his nickname when she was pregnant with you. I guess you wouldn't stop kicking or something, because she decided that you were just as restless as your father. Since your Dad was already 'Huckleberry", you became 'Finn'. Obviously, it stuck."

"How did you know that?" Finn smiled, throwing a curious glance at Kolfer.

"Chris ended up as my commanding officer, or CO, but we had a long history in the Corps before that. Even when he was my CO, we still fought together in the field a lot," Kolfer shrugged. "I can't even tell you how many trenches, bunkers, and base camps we were stuck at or in together over the course of our careers. I guess telling personal stories became a way of passing the time and reminding us why we were there in the first place - who we left back home, who we were fighting for… that kind of stuff." Kolfer stopped and turned to Finn. He put his hand on Finn's upper arm and looked him in the eyes. "Finn, your Dad was, for all intents and purposes, my brother. He was my best friend and a fellow Marine, which is why I'm here today. I should have done this a long time ago; I should have gotten in touch with you and told you all about him. It shouldn't have had to be Rachel who talked some sense into me to come out here and see you. But she did thank God, and it's better late than never." Kolfer put his hands on Finn's shoulders, keeping his gaze locked with Finn's. "I'm not going to let one more Father's Day pass without you knowing how much of a true hero your Dad was, is, and always will be."

**gleegleegleeglee**

Carole stopped in her tracks as the outline of the large group at the top of the hill came into view. Rachel stood by her side, stopping next to her along with the two Marines who were silently accompanying them on the walk up to the burial site.

"Are you ok?" Rachel asked worriedly, taking Carole's hand in hers.

"Yeah," Carole nodded, her voice soft and weak. "It's just… facing this all a second time is a little…" her voice trailed off.

Rachel wrapped her arms around Carole and held her tightly. Carole held onto Rachel for a few moments before finally letting go. She still kept a tight hold on Rachel's hand. A smile crept across her face.

"You know, I always thought it was ironic when you said that Finn and I were the strongest people you knew," Carole mused.

"Why?" Rachel asked curiously, a gentle smile on her face.

"Because you're the strongest person I know, Rachel," Carole replied with a grin.

"But I tear up at everything," Rachel laughed, tears in her eyes because of her mother-in-law's answer.

"Only the weak are afraid of tears, honey," Carole smiled, wiping a tear from Rachel's cheek. "Chris taught me that."

**gleegleegleeglee**

"Your father died just as he lived - as a hero," Kolfer began as he looked out over the rows of gleaming white headstones. "He didn't die in any plain old firefight, Finn. That was a cover the higher-ups had to issue because the details of the mission were classified until two months ago." Finn's eyes widened. "Your father died on a black-ops mission. It was a joint mission between Marine Force Recon and the Navy Seals, Team Three to be exact. Everything was by-the-numbers perfect, until it all fell apart at the very last second."

_Colonel Chris Hudson nodded once, focusing intently on one of the men at the other side of the clearing. He brought his arm forward, pointing ahead as the signal to advance their position. Lieutenant Roberts gave him a thumbs up signal in response from across the field, and the two teams began to move on their target._

"In the records, it was a fact finding mission," Kolfer continued. "But it wasn't. Hell, any time you involve FORECON and the Seals, it's the furthest damn thing from a fact finding mission you can possibly imagine."

"What was the actual objective?" Finn asked.

"Recovery," Kolfer breathed before turning his steely gaze on Finn. "And painting the target for neutralization."

"So basically, grab whatever you need, then blow up everything you don't," Finn said quietly.

Kolfer let out a mirthless snort and nodded.

"That's the way it is in black ops," he said seriously. "Do or die - especially when you're infiltrating an infamous terrorist camp."

_"Major," Chris Hudson said as he jostled the unconscious Marine on the floor in front of him. "C'mon, Kolfer. Wake up."_

_ Kolfer's eyes fluttered open before closing again. Hudson clenched his jaw as the firefight outside intensified. Time was running out._

_ "__**Get up, Marine**__!" he growled, grabbing Kolfer by the collar. "__**You have five seconds to get off your six**__. Five, four-"_

_ Kolfer bolted upright, his eyes flying open as he tried to focus on the man in front of him. Hudson gave him a small smile._

_ "You ready to go home, Pete?" he asked._

_ "You kidding?" Kolfer breathed._

_ "Can you fight?" Hudson asked, leaving all niceties behind them._

_ "Do or die, Semper Fi, sir," Kolfer responded with a growl._

"Both teams made it into the compound with little resistance. When they moved to rescue the hostage, that's when things got hairy," Kolfer went on. Finn noticed the faraway look in Kolfer's eyes. Every emotion flickered in his steely gaze; he was reliving the entire night. Something told Finn it wasn't the first or the last time Kolfer would ever relive what had happened. "The hostage was one of ours - a Marine. Chris took the mission personally. He wasn't a Force Recon guy anymore, but he made it his job this time. If you know anything about the Corps, Marines don't leave their own behind, and they'll do anything to get 'em back.

_By the time they recovered Kolfer, their presence was no longer a secret. Gunfire was coming in from all angles. The seven-man team was extremely skilled, but this was about as dangerous as it could get. Luckily, this is exactly what they all lived for - what they loved. Still, Kolfer was injured - badly. It was no easy task trying to help him out while not getting anyone else injured in the crossfire._

"By the time our guy was rescued, they knew we were there. Gunfire was raining down like confetti and the night sky was glowing with muzzle flashes. Two guys had already been shot; luckily the rounds weren't armor piercing, and they took it in the flack jacket." Kolfer looked at Finn, a faraway, sad smile on his face. "But even through all that, all but one got out clean." His smile faded.

"My Dad?" Finn guessed.

"Yeah," Kolfer nodded stiffly. "Took a shot to the abdomen that went straight through the jacket - a shot that was meant for the Marine they rescued. But Chris wasn't about to let him die, so he took the round instead." Finn's mouth was slightly agape and his eyes wide. "He might have made it, too. The shot wasn't instantly fatal. But all hell broke loose as soon as we called in the F-14's."

_"Dark Knight to Guardian Angel, Dark Knight to Guardian Angel, target is painted and ready. I repeat, target is painted and ready," Lieutenant Roberts said into his radio._

_ "Copy that, Dark Knight. Guardian Angels 1 and 2 commencing approach. Clear the area, Dark Knight. We'll take it from here."_

_ "Roger, Guardian Angel," Roberts nodded. "Clearing the area."_

_ Forty-five seconds later, another transmission came through from one of the F-14 pilots._

_ "Be advised, Dark Knight," he said, "Missile is inbound. I repeat, missile launched and inbound. Estimated time of impact: t-minus five minutes and counting."_

_ "Roger, Guardian Angel, we copy," Roberts replied._

"And then we received an emergency transmission from base just as we reached the chopper we were going to pilot out of there," Kolfer swallowed. "There was new intel of the possibility of uranium-235 onsite. They immediately tried to abort the missile launch, but they couldn't."

_Every member of the seven-man team looked at one another. For men that never showed fear, it was nonetheless etched in their eyes._

_ "Alright," Chris said unwaveringly, swallowing his fear and breaking the silent stupor that had come over them. "All of you, get to the chopper and get the hell out of here. I'm going back." Every single one of the other six immediately disagreed, harshly whispering that it was their duty to be with him. "HEY!" Chris growled. "I'm the ranking officer here! All of you get your ass on that chopper! THAT IS AN ORDER!"_

_ Everyone besides Kolfer looked at one another uneasily, but each offered up whispered "yes, sir"._

_ "Chris," Kolfer pleaded quietly._

_ "Pete, these men didn't risk their lives for yours just so you could go get yourself killed," Chris said strongly. "Now, you get your wounded ass back to that chopper and get the hell out of here. I don't want to hear another word about it." Chris looked at the six men. "I want all of you as far away from here as possible in case there is a nuke in there and I can't reach it in time. There's enough death and destruction in this world today, and I __**will not**__ have your names be added to the list of fallen soldiers on my watch. I will not do that to you, your families, or the United States of America. Do you understand me?" Each of the six gave him a stony "yes, sir". "Good. Now get out of here."_

_ Five turned to leave. Chris grabbed Kolfer's arm before he turned to go._

_ "If I don't make it back-" he started._

_ "Chris, no," Kolfer shook his head._

_ "Listen to me," Chris said intensely. "If I don't make it back, you know what to do."_

"That was the last thing he said to me," Kolfer finished quietly. "After that, he pushed me forward with the rest of the team and headed back to the camp."

"What happened to him?" Finn asked hoarsely, trying desperately to bite back the tears stinging his eyes.

"I don't know what went on when he reached the camp - no one does, but when the missile hit, there was no nuclear explosion," Kolfer shook his head. "And when recovery teams were sent onsite to try and rescue your father, they found his body two miles away, hunkered down between some large boulders. He had been shot three more times - two in the arm, and one in the shoulder. With him was the case of uranium-235." Tears were trickling down Finn's cheeks. Kolfer swallowed hard. "I'm so sorry I never told you before, Finn. I was so afraid to face you until now. _I_ was the Marine the team rescued, and I blamed myself for so long."

Finn nodded in understanding, letting out a long sigh.

"But you're here now," he said finally. "And I don't blame you. You were his best friend and would have done the same for him. I could never blame you. I just wish I were more like him…"

"Finn, you're every bit the man he was," Kolfer said seriously.

"He was a hero," Finn shook his head.

"And so are you," Kolfer said pointedly. "In a different capacity, but you're definitely a hero. You're the poster boy for every sports charity there is. You and Rachel do a ton of good in this world." Finn was clearly not convinced. "Finn, your Mom is a hero for raising you on her own. Rachel is a hero to every little boy and girl who wants to be just like her on Broadway or on the big screen. You're a hero to every little kid who wants to play pro football. And you're all heroes to one another, not to mention every kid you've ever helped, or charity you've ever supported. Serving your country in the military is only one way to be a hero. You're living proof that there are other ways."

"It's still not the same," Finn shrugged. "I'll never be like him."

"From what Rachel tells me, you're about to be," Kolfer interjected as they reached the top of a hill. Finn swallowed. "You guys know what it is yet?"

Finn couldn't help but smile.

"Baby girl," he nodded, a rush of adrenaline making his stomach do somersaults.

Kolfer grinned.

"Well, you'll be her hero the way your Dad is yours; I promise you that," he said softly. "At the end of the day it's not about how many footballs you throw, notes you sing, or terrorists you take out. It's about the person you are and how much you love those around you - that's what makes you a hero, Finn. You're a hero because you have the heart to be." Finn smiled. "Your daughter won't see you for what you accomplish in life; she'll see you as her Daddy - the one who kissed bruises, ridded the closet of monsters, and brought out a shotgun before her first date." They both laughed. "But, really, Finn, you have nothing to worry about. You're going to do just fine."

Finn looked truly at ease for the first time in months.

"Thanks," he said softly.

"Don't thank me," Kolfer smirked, nodding up the path. "Thank that wife of yours."

Finn turned to see Rachel and his Mom looking back at him. Behind them were Burt, Kurt, Blaine, Mr. Schuester, and the entire glee club flanked by two Marines in Dress Blues.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Rachel squeezed Finn's hand as the three-volley salute rang out into the otherwise-peaceful silence of Arlington. The seven-Marine Honor Guard fired three times, each shot seemingly more piercing than the last. Taps filled the air as soon as the final shot was fired, followed by the presentation of the flag to Carole.

When it was over, the members of the glee club, Carole, Burt, and Mr. Schuester all sang the _Marines' Hymn_ in honor of Colonel Christopher Hudson, who was buried with full military honors and had been posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross for his exemplary valor and intrepidity. Much to their amazement, everyone who had come to pay his or her respects joined in. Finn couldn't help the tears that welled up in his eyes. He hugged Rachel close.

"You're so amazing it's unbelievable, you know that?" he whispered.

Rachel gave him a soft smile.

"He deserves it," she said quietly, looking at the casket before glancing back at her husband. "Just as you deserve closure after all these years."

"He would have loved you," Finn smiled. "I know he would have."

"Your Mom keeps telling me that," Rachel smirked.

"She would know," Finn said as he kissed Rachel on the cheek. "After all, she was to him what you are to me - his glue, saving grace, brain, heart, and much better half."

Rachel shook her head and laughed.

"I love you, Finn Christopher Hudson," she said softly.

"I love you, Rachel Barbra Hudson," he returned before kissing her.

Rachel leaned against him as they both took one last long look at the gleaming white headstone.

"So, I asked your Mom if we could move your Dad's chair into our place," she said quietly. Finn looked at her questioningly. Rachel smirked. "What? How else are we going to take the iconic Hudson baby picture after she's born?"

A wide smile spread from ear-to-ear across Finn's face.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Sure enough, some months later, Finn held his baby girl in his arms as Rachel took a picture of the next generation of the Hudson family. A week later, side-by-side on his nightstand stood two pictures that showed three generations, three Hudsons, and one chair.


	7. Her Mother's Daughter

**Disclaimer: Still don't own **_**Glee**_**. I do own the plot and any characters not in cannon, though.**

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Sorry for the delay. I started college and it's been one crazy thing after another! Anyway, here's the latest chapter. I write a lot of Finn-heavy material, so now it's Rachel's turn to shine. =) And, no, this chapter isn't about Shelby. She's not in the story… **_**yet**_**. There's a little bit of strong language in this chapter, but the story is rated T for a reason. Enjoy!**

**Her Mother's Daughter**

Rachel felt her body go numb.

"What do you mean she got hurt? What happened?" she asked, swallowing hard as her mouth went dry. "Where is she?" Lily, Rachel's producer, looked up at her in question from where she sat on the couch. "I'm a block from the school." Rachel bit her lip, her heart sinking as she heard her daughter's wails in the background. "I'm on my way right now." She hung up.

"What happened?" Lily asked worriedly.

"Ashley got pushed off the jungle gym," Rachel answered quickly, grabbing her purse. "I'm sorry; I have to go."

"Of course," Lily nodded. "I hope she's ok."

"Thank you," Rachel replied before rushing out of the studio.

Lily scowled as the door swung shut behind Rachel.

"_Pushed_?" she mouthed questioningly.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Rachel rounded the corner and ran up the stairs to the preschool. Inside the doors, Principal Hurst was already waiting for her.

"Mrs. Hudson," she nodded politely. "Ashley's in the nurse's office."

"What happened?' Rachel asked as they started down the hall.

"There was some sort of argument between her and another student," the principal sighed. "According to her teacher, Ms. Del Castillo, Ashley was pushed from the top of the jungle gym on the south playground. It's possible she has a broken arm, but we don't know for sure. I called you immediately after it happened."

"Ok," Rachel breathed, trying to stay calm. "What kind of argument? They're three years old. What kind of fight turns into my daughter getting pushed off of a jungle gym?"

"I don't know what it was about exactly, but according to several of the teachers, the other girl was the aggressor," the principal answered.

"Of course she was," Rachel scowled. "My daughter would _never_ hurt anyone, let alone push them from the top of a jungle gym."

"I know, Mrs. Hudson," the principal said softly. "Ashley is one of the most well-behaved and kindhearted children I've ever seen at this school. Unfortunately I obviously can't say that for all of our students."

"Who was the other girl?" Rachel asked.

"Mikayla St. James," the principal answered.

"Please tell me she's not the daughter of Jesse St. James…" Rachel sighed.

"Yes she is," Principal Hurst frowned. "She's the daughter of Jesse St. James and Ana Rodriguez. Why? Aren't they both on Broadway, as well?"

"He is, she's… not… exactly. And let's just say I'd be shocked if our history had nothing to do with why their daughter attacked mine," she said bitterly.

Principal Hurst nodded as they turned the corner. Rachel's heart lurched as she heard Ashley's whimpers coming from down the hall.

"The nurse's office is just down the hall," Principal Hurst pointed to the second door on the left.

"Thank you," Rachel nodded before rushing towards the room.

"Mommmmmeeeeeeee!" Ashley wailed as Rachel entered the room. She tried to sit up, but cried out in pain before collapsing back on the bed.

"Don't try to get up, honey," the nurse, Nurse Kim, said softly.

"It's ok, Ashley," Rachel soothed as she kneeled down at the side of the bed and wiped the tears from her daughter's cheeks. "It's ok. I'm here. I'm right here, sweetie."

"She p-pushed m-me," Ashley sobbed. "I-I didn't d-d-o anything."

"I know, I know, sweetie," Rachel said calmly, kissing Ashley's forehead. "You didn't do anything wrong. She did a very mean thing by pushing you, ok? It's not your fault."

"But why? Why'd s-she push m-me?" Ashley whimpered. "I j-just t-told the truth."

"What truth, baby?" Rachel asked as she brushed the sweat-matted hair from her daughter's pale face.

"That-that you love Daddy," Ashley answered, a fresh wave of tears welling in her eyes.

Rachel drew in a sharp breath. Her stomach clenched and her heart started to race. The smoldering loathing of Jesse she harbored all these years was suddenly rekindled into a raging wildfire of hatred. He was not only undermining her marriage, but also putting her daughter in danger. Her natural overprotective maternal instinct had already been kicked into overdrive, and this just made her blood boil with rage.

She reached up and caressed Ashley's cheek.

"I love you and Daddy more than anything," she said seriously.

"I-I know," Ashley nodded. "B-but Mikayla s-said it wasn't t-true."

"She's wrong, Ashley," Rachel said unwaveringly. "Don't listen to her."

"I d-didn't," Ashley sniffled as tears continued to gush down her cheeks. Her expression turned from distress to a grimace. "Mommy m-my arm hurts…"

"I know, baby. I know," Rachel said as calmly as possible. "We're going to go to the hospital so the doctors there can help you, ok?" Ashley gave her a small, timid nod. Nurse Kim had already splinted Ashley's arm to stabilize it for the time being until they could get to the hospital. "You ready?"

"Y-yeah," Ashley replied.

"Ok," Rachel said softly as she cautiously reached one arm underneath the bend of Ashley's knees and the other under her back. "I gottcha."

Rachel gently lifted Ashley into her arms. Ashley immediately buried her face in her mother's chest, and Rachel felt hot tears soak through her shirt.

"Bye, honey," Nurse Kim said softly. "Feel better."

"Thank y-you," Ashley mumbled into Rachel's shirt.

Rachel gave Nurse Kim a small smile and a quick "thank you" before walking out of the room with Ashley in her arms.

**gleegleegleeglee**

The emergency room at New York-Presbyterian University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell Children's Hospital wasn't very busy at 11 AM on a Wednesday morning. Ashley was admitted into the ER minutes after they checked in at the front desk. Rachel had her still-sobbing daughter cradled in her arms as they waited for a doctor. She quietly sang "Not While I'm Around" as she held Ashley close, which seemed to calm her down a bit.

"Ashley Hudson?"

Rachel looked up to see a middle-aged blonde doctor walk into the room. The woman looked up from the file, the look in her eyes illustrating her slight shock at seeing Rachel before she looked at the teary eyed little girl in her arms.

"Hi; I'm Doctor Kennedy," she said. She looked at Ashley empathetically. "What happened, sweetheart?"

Ashley nervously settled deeper into Rachel's arms.

"It's ok, baby," Rachel whispered before kissing her on the head. She looked up at Dr. Kennedy. "She was pushed off a jungle gym at school."

Dr. Kennedy's eyes widened ever so slightly.

"_Pushed_?" she questioned.

"Literally," Rachel said seriously. "According to the school nurse, she fell ten or so feet and broke the fall with her arm."

"I see," Dr. Kennedy nodded. She looked at Ashley. "Can I take a look at your arm, Ashley?"

Ashley looked at her fearfully, a fresh wave of tears welling up in her eyes.

"No!" she whimpered, cowering impossibly further into Rachel's arms. "It hurts!"

"Baby, Dr. Kennedy needs to see what happened to your arm so she can make it all better," Rachel tried.

Ashley hesitated a moment before nodding. Giving her a reassuring smile, Dr. Kennedy reached out to examine her young patient's arm. She gently prodded Ashley's arm, beginning at the wrist and working her way up the radius and ulna.

"Tell me when it hurts, Ashley," Dr. Kennedy said softly.

She made it halfway up Ashley's arm before the girl grimaced and wailed in pain.

"It hurts!" Ashley cried.

"Ok, ok," Dr. Kennedy said pacifically, trying to stop Ashley from pulling her arm away. "It's ok, Ashley. I'm almost done."

Rachel kissed the top of Ashley's head and hugged her tighter as Dr. Kennedy's examination revealed yet another highly sensitive break. Her heart sank; her baby was in pain and there was nothing she could do to take it away.

"Well, there is definitely at least one break," Dr. Kennedy said. A horrified look crossed Ashley's face as she grabbed Rachel's hand. "I need to get a better look at your arm, Ashley, so I can see exactly where the problem is. I need to take an x-ray so I can see a picture of your bones. Once I know what happened, I can fix it and it won't hurt anymore."

"…Ok," Ashley nodded hesitantly.

Dr. Kennedy smiled softly, "I'm going to go check if the room is open. I'll be right back."

"Thank you," Rachel replied.

"Of course," Dr. Kennedy nodded before leaving the room.

"Mommy, I'm scared," Ashley said timidly once Dr. Kennedy was out of the area.

"I know, Ash," Rachel soothed. "But you're being so brave. I'm so, so proud of you, sweetheart." She brushed the hair from Ashley's face and kissed her forehead.

"I love you, Mommy," Ashley sniffled.

Rachel's heart melted instantly.

"I love you more than anything, Ash," she whispered. Then it dawned on her: she needed to call Finn. "Baby, I have to call Daddy and tell him what happened, ok?" Ashley nodded.

"Can I talk to Daddy?" she asked.

"Yeah, baby, of course," Rachel nodded. "Just let me tell him what happened first, ok?" Ashley nodded again.

Rachel dug out her phone and called her husband.

"Hey, Rach. I'm really sorry, babe, but I have to call you back. I'm about to go into the sponsorship meeting with Nike," Finn answered. Rachel's winced internally - she'd forgotten about his big sponsorship meeting for the football camp he was holding for underprivileged kids in the spring.

"Finn, I'm in the emergency room with Ashley," she said hurriedly before he had a chance to hang up.

"WHAT?" Finn gasped.

"Look, it's a really long story and I don't even know all of the details, but she was pushed off a jungle gym this morning on the playground and I had to take her to the emergency room. She has a broken arm," Rachel said as calmly as possible, knowing full well that he was about to go nuts.

"What do you mean pushed?" Finn exclaimed. "What the hell happened? Why didn't you call me earlier-"

"Finn, listen to me," Rachel said calmly. "I couldn't call you because I've been focused on making sure our daughter is all right. We're in the ER in the New York-Presbyterian Children's Hospital. This is the first chance I've had to call, ok?"

"Ok," Finn swallowed. "I know. I'm sorry. It's just… I mean we're sending her to the best preschool in the city! How could something like this happen?"

"I know," Rachel sighed.

"I'm canceling the meeting. I'll be there as soon as I can," Finn said urgently.

"Wait, Finn," Rachel stopped him. "Ash wants to talk to you." She put the call on speakerphone.

"Daddy!" Ashley called.

"Hey, baby girl," Finn smiled at the sound of her voice. "How are you feeling?"

"My arm hurts," Ashley sniffled.

"I bet it does," Finn frowned. "I'm on my way, Ash. I'll be there really soon, ok?"

"Ok," Ashley nodded.

"Take good care of Mommy," Finn smirked. Ashley let out a tired laugh. Rachel stifled a laugh, silently thankful that Finn had managed to cheer their daughter up a bit.

"Ok, Daddy," she said with a weak smile.

"I love you so much, Ashley," Finn said softly.

"I love you, too, Daddy," Ashley answered.

Rachel took the call off speakerphone and put the phone to her ear.

"I'll be there soon," Finn said.

"Ok," Rachel nodded.

"Rachel," Finn paused.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Ashley and I would be so, so screwed without you," he said softly.

Rachel smiled a bit.

"I love you, too, Finn," she answered.

"Alright, I have to go cancel the meeting. I love you more than anything. Bye, Rach," he said before hanging up. Rachel put her phone back into her purse.

"Mommy…?" Ashley said quietly after a few moments.

"Yeah, baby?" Rachel asked.

"You're the best Mommy ever," Ashley said matter-of-factly. "Mikayla said you aren't… but you are…"

Rachel bit back tears as she smiled.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Finn rounded the corner into the bedroom, pausing a moment in the doorway to smile at the sight of Rachel laying next to Ashley on their bed keeping a protective watch over their sleeping daughter. He watched as Rachel brushed the hair from Ashley's face before briefly running her finger across the light-sky-blue colored cast that ran from the middle of her upper arm to the middle of her palm. Rachel looked up at him and flashed him a mirthless smile.

"The Principal left a voicemail," he whispered. "She asked if we could call or email to schedule a conference between the other kid's parents, her, and us." Rachel just nodded before looking back at their daughter. Finn studied her for a moment. He'd seen that look in her eyes before; it was guilt - guilt and anger. "So what happened, anyway?" he asked.

Rachel didn't reply. Instead she kissed Ashley on the forehead before sliding off the bed, grabbing her husband's hand, and pulling him out of the room. With the doors closed behind him, Rachel stopped in the middle of the hallway and turned to him.

"Jesse St. Jackass happened," she growled. Finn looked at her questioningly. "That little brat that pushed my baby off a jungle gym? Mikayla St. James, child of Jesse St. Jackass and Ana Rodriguez."

Finn clenched his jaw; he suddenly understood the anger and guilt that clouded her eyes.

"Damn it," he breathed.

"And they're getting back at me, at _us_ by hurting **my baby**," Rachel seethed. Finn winced internally. He was furious, but Rachel had reached the topmost and scariest level of wrath: enraged, overprotective Mommy Rachel.

"Wait. He _told_ his kid to push Ash off the jungle gym?" Finn asked incredulously. Sure Jesse could be the biggest jerk on the planet, but even Finn thought he was above corrupting his own daughter into hurting other little kids.

"I don't know," Rachel shook her head. "But I do know that he and his wife have been telling their daughter that you and I don't love one another, and that I'm not a good mother. Who the hell knows what else they've been filling her mind with just so she can go pick on Ashley!" Angry tears were stinging her eyes.

"Are you kidding me?" Finn exclaimed. "That son of a bitch!"

"This is _her_ doing. I know it is," Rachel said in a low growl. "Jesse hates _us_, but he's not a cruel enough person to hurt Ashley just because she's ours. This is all her. She's hated me ever since I won the role of Elphaba in _Wicked_. After that I was winning Tony's, and she was stuck in the off-off-_off_ Broadway circuit." Rachel clenched her jaw, the makings of a small snarl on her lips. "Jesse can hate _us_ all he wants. Ana can say whatever the hell she wants to about me. She can lash out at me - I don't care. **But threaten my family and I will hunt you down**."

A muffled, drowsy call of "Mommy" came from their bedroom. Rachel took a deep breath before fixing a calm expression on her face and heading back into the room. Finn followed her as far as the doorframe, where he stopped and leaned against the molding just watching her and Ashley. He knew she didn't mean what she said literally; Rachel couldn't and wouldn't physically hurt anyone. Still, it surprised him. He'd never seen her like that. It reminded him of how different she'd become. She was till the same old Rachel, but she wasn't a girl anymore - she was a grown woman and the epitome of a great mother. Watching Rachel with Ashley, he couldn't help but feel inexplicably proud of her - so proud that she was his wife and the amazing mother of his daughter. She had Ashley cuddled in her arms as their little girl again drifted off to sleep.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"Mr. and Mrs. Hudson," Principal Hurst greeted them warmly. "How is Ashley doing?"

"She's a lot better, thank you," Rachel smiled a bit. She hated leaving Ashley that morning, even if she was just up the street with Kurt, Blaine, and their four-year-old daughter, Rosie. "Her arm was broken in two places and she had a hairline fracture in her wrist. But she was up playing with her toys this morning like nothing had even happened, so she's actually doing really well."

"She's a trooper," Finn added proudly. "She'll be fine."

"I'm so glad to hear it," Principal Hurst smiled. "A lot of teachers have been asking - especially after Rosie was so upset about her little cousin that we ended up calling Mr. Hummel to pick her u-"

"How long is this going to take? I have rehearsal."

Rachel, Finn, and Principal Hurst all turned to see Ana and Jesse walking down the hallway towards them. Rachel tightened her grip on Finn's hand. He glanced at her to find her dark gaze trained on the couple, her jaw set, and her body tense.

"Right," Principal Hurst broke the awkward tension. "Well, this shouldn't take all that long. We just need to discuss the event, its consequences, and the actions we take from here."

"Consequences? It was just a little disagreement," Ana shrugged.

"Ana," Jesse sighed.

"A little disagreement?" Rachel repeated bitterly. "Your daughter pushed my daughter off a jungle gym on the playground."

"Rachel," Finn whispered.

"Oh, please," Ana sneered. "You're just pissed because your little brat couldn't defend herself."

"Ana!" Jesse glared at her.

"Don't EVER call my daughter a brat!" Rachel growled. "And just because my daughter doesn't resort to throwing punches doesn't mean she's incapable of defending herself!"

"Oh, please," Ana laughed coldly. "She makes everything better by singing about it and telling the world that, hey, it's ok to be the weak little pathetic daughter of the bitch who's probably whoring her way to the top of the fame ladder."

"DON'T EVER SAY THAT ABOUT MY DAUGHTER OR MY WIFE!" Finn roared, taking a menacing step forward.

"Don't even," Jesse said lowly, standing in front of his wife.

"I took you down at prom senior year, St. Jackass, and I'll do it again," Finn snarled.

"Finn," Rachel grabbed his hand and pulled him back. "Don't. It's not worth it."

"Oh, is that how this works? She has you by the balls, too?" Ana snickered. "Well, I suppose that _is_ the only way anyone could stand her. I mean, look at her - no boobs, no ass, garden gnome height, and a beak for a nose-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Principal Hurst exclaimed loudly. All four of them looked at her in shock. "I've seen more than enough! This is ridiculous! I've never seen anything this insanely… _childish_! Name calling? You should be ashamed of yourselves!" Rachel and Finn both blushed sheepishly. Ana snickered at them under her breath. "Mr. and Mrs. St. James, I'm sorry but you're going to have to leave."

"_What_?" Ana scowled. Finn, Rachel, and Jesse all looked up at her in mild shock.

"I was going to suggest that you discuss the fight with Mikayla so that she could understand that how she acted was completely inappropriate, but I can see that it would be a wasted effort, if not counterproductive. We've had issues with her before, as you are well aware. This, I'm afraid, is the final straw," Principal Hurst continued. "I have no choice to expel Mikayla from this school. As soon as Ashley was injured, other students also spoke up about her bullying of them. I'm sorry, but there is really no other option. She needs a severe attitude adjustment."

"Fine," Ana spat.

"Wait!" Rachel interjected, much to everyone's surprise. "There has to be another alternative to expulsion."

"Rach," Finn looked at her questioningly, "Their kid broke Ashley's arm in two places and fractured her wrist."

"Indirectly, yes," Rachel nodded. "But that doesn't mean she should get expelled."

"This is so much like you, Berry," Ana glowered. "You try to please everyone and be the nice one so you can kiss up to-"

"Would you shut up?" Rachel growled fiercely, her eyes again glinting with her 'overprotective mother' look. "You're the reason your daughter did this! For goodness sakes she's your _daughter_! You can hate me all you want, but don't hurt your daughter in the process! Do you really hate me so much that you're willing to harm the little baby girl you gave birth to?" Ana bit her lip and looked at the floor. Finn watched Rachel with a proud glimmer in his eyes. "Yeah, I didn't think so." Rachel looked at the Principal. "There has to be another way to fix this. Mikayla is three years old. Yes, what she did was very wrong and it hurt Ashley physically and emotionally, but that doesn't mean she can't change. Has anyone ever bothered to tell her she's hurting other kids?" Ana and Jesse both looked at the floor. "The only way to stop bullying and hatred is to face it head on and change it; if you ignore what's going on, it only gets worse."

**gleegleegleeglee**

"You ready to go, kiddo?" Finn smiled as he helped Ashley put on her other sneaker. She looked at him uneasily, shaking her head. "No?" he frowned. "Why?"

"I'm scared…" she admitted sheepishly.

"Scared?" Finn repeated questioningly.

"…Of Mikayla…" Ashley swallowed. "I wasn't… but then she pushed me and it really, really hurt, Daddy. I don't want it to happen again."

"I know you don't, Ashley. Mommy and I don't either," Finn said softly. "And Mommy and I are always here to protect you."

"But you're not always there," Ashley said sagely.

Finn was taken a bit off guard. That was one truth he wasn't ready to hear come out of his daughter's mouth.

"No, we're not," he conceded. "But you're still going to be just fine, Ash."

"How?" she asked crossly.

Finn smiled and buttoned her gray uniform cardigan sweater over her jumper. He couldn't help but notice that she looked nearly identical to Rachel's three-year-old self. Suddenly he had an idea.

"I'll tell you how," he smirked, tapping his finger against the tip of her nose. "It's because you're just like Mommy." Ashley looked at him questioningly. "Mommy and I were picked on in school, too, Ash."

"Really?" she asked, eyes wide.

"Oh yeah," Finn nodded. "See, Mommy and I liked to sing and dance with Uncle Kurt, Uncle Blaine, Aunt Quinn, Uncle Puck - heck, all of your aunts and uncles. Most of the kids at the school didn't like that because it was different. And sometimes I would get scared because the other kids were mean to us. But Mommy never did. She was the bravest, strongest person I knew, and she still is. She helped everyone realize that it was ok to be scared, as long as you didn't let the other mean people win and you stood up for yourself. She taught me that it was ok to be myself and to keep doing what I loved to do."

"She did?" Ashley gaped.

"Oh, yeah," Finn smirked. "Your Mommy is very, very special, and you're so much like her. She cares so much about everyone, and she always wants the best for everybody no matter what. Just be a strong, brave girl like Mommy, and no one will ever hurt you. Don't let anyone tell you that you're not special, because you're just as amazing as your Mommy. If Mikayla or any other meanie tries to hurt you, don't let them. Stand up for who you are and what you think is right."

"What are you two up to?" Rachel smirked as she walked into the room. "It's almost time to go."

"Mommy!" Ashley exclaimed, an ear-to-ear smile spreading across her face as she jumped off the bed and ran to Rachel.

Rachel picked her up and kissed her forehead. Ashley immediately wrapped her arms around Rachel and gave her the tightest hug she could manage with her cast on.

"You're the best Mommy in the whole world," she said into Rachel's shoulder.

Rachel smirked, looking questioningly at her husband. He just smiled and shrugged.

"What can I say?" he laughed. "She's her mother's daughter."

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! As always, your feedback is greatly appreciated!**


	8. Girl's Best Friend

**Disclaimer: I don't own _Glee_ or FOX.**

_**Author's Note: Here's the next chapter! Sorry it took so long - college is proving to be quite a pain. I'm continuing with my Rachel-centric streak, as promised. I hope you enjoy the chapter! Also, for future reference: Tig-Tig is a plush Tigger toy, and McGeeGee is Finn's baby blanket (that Quinn finally gave back to its rightful owner…).**_

**Girl's Best Friend **

The color drained from Ashley's face as she stared in shock at her parents. Every horror story her friends had told her about this happening was flashing through her mind. Her Mommy looked very worried, especially now that Ashley was staring at them wide-eyed and terrified.

"Ashley, sweetheart, things are going to be a little different, but Daddy and I will always, _always_ love you and be there for you," Rachel tried, seeing the expression on her daughter's face.

"Mommy's right, Ash," Finn nodded.

But she wasn't paying any attention to him; instead she was glaring at Rachel. She'd seen this happen to almost every one of her friends, and now it was happening to her. It was always the same story: Mommy looks weird, Daddy starts being protective of her and the _thing_, suddenly Mommy can't play anymore and pawns you off on Daddy, no one cares about you anymore because of the _thing_ in Mommy's tummy, and then it's born and Mommy and Daddy are obsessed with it and forget you like they never loved you in the first place.

Without even knowing what to call it, Ashley felt betrayed. She couldn't believe her parents would do this to her - especially her Mommy. No matter how many times her Mommy and Daddy told her that they loved her just as much, she couldn't help feeling like it was a lie, like it was her fault they were having another kid - like she wasn't good enough.

Ashley's throat tightened and tears stung at her eyes, but she refused to cry in front of them. She didn't need their hugs or their kisses - especially from her Mommy. It was a one-two punch for Ashley; not only did she get the worst news of her life, but she realized something she never wanted to: her Mommy wasn't perfect. And far from it, apparently, as she'd made one of the most egregious mistakes anyone could make as far as Ashley was concerned.

Ashley narrowed her eyes further and scowled at her Mommy.

"Liar," she snarled before jumping out of her seat and storming out of the room.

Rachel's jaw dropped in shock.

"Ashley!" she called out. "Wait!"

But it was no use.

"Leave me alone!" Ashley yelled over her shoulder as she ran up the stairs.

Rachel started to go after her, but Finn grabbed her arm.

"Let go!" she pulled her arm away.

"Rachel, just listen to me," he pleaded. "Don't corner her right now. Just let her cool off for a little while. She'll come to you when she's ready."

Rachel sighed defeatedly, looking through the archway out of the kitchen. She walked to the archway, only to see Ashley run across the upstairs hallway to her room. The door slam that followed made Rachel wince and grip the wood molding tightly in her hand.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"Well, that was a disaster," Rachel mumbled bitterly as she collapsed onto the bed.

Finn sighed and shut their bedroom door behind him.

"…Yeah," he nodded. "That… didn't go well… at all…"

"What did we do wrong?" Rachel shook her head incredulously. "We read books on how to tell her; we asked everyone imaginable for advice. What went wrong?"

"I don't think it had anything to do with us, Rach," Finn said softly, sitting on the bed beside her. "She just hates change. You know that."

"I know, but still," Rachel frowned before letting out a long sigh. "I didn't think she'd react this badly." Tears began to well up in her eyes.

"Hey," Finn soothed. He pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. "It'll be ok. You need to get some sleep, Rach. You can talk to her in the morning."

"She wasn't glaring at _you_, Finn!" Rachel exclaimed as a tear rolled down her cheek. She wriggled out of his arms and looked at him. "How can I sleep when she's so upset?"

"Because you have another baby to think about, and because she's not ready to talk about it, Rachel," he tried. "Especially not with you." Rachel glared at him. "Rachel, you said it yourself - she wasn't glaring at me. Look, I'm not trying to be mean, ok?"

"I know…" she sighed, looking at the floor.

"It's just…" he said, "Rach, she looks exactly like you, but she acts like both of us. I did this to you after Sectionals junior year. I was hurt and I ran away." He reached up and ran his thumb across her cheek. "Rachel, she just needs time."

"What am I supposed to do?" she bit her lip. "I can't leave her like that-"

"And you're not," he said reassuringly. "You're not 'leaving her' like anything. You're waiting until she's ready to talk about it. If you force the issue, it'll be far worse. Your job is to be there for her no matter what. Sometimes that's going to mean letting her sort things out by herself - even at age three."

"You don't really have to leave tomorrow morning, do you?" Rachel asked sheepishly.

"Sorry, babe," he said with a sad smile. "They can't really play without a quarterback."

"What a day we picked to do this…" Rachel laughed ironically. "And here I was hoping Ash and I were going to have some Mommy-daughter bonding time…"

"Rach, she's three," he smirked. "Come on, get real here. She loves me, but practically worships you. She's upset because she has to share you. Ashley won't be mad forever. I bet she'll be in here by three in the morning wanting to sleep in our bed."

But when Rachel woke up in the morning to her alarm clock and a love note from Finn saying that he didn't want to wake her when he left, but to call him when she woke up, there was no sign of Ashley.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"Mr. Hummel?"

Kurt turned around to find one of his newer assistants, Alex, approaching him.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Your phone has been ringing off the hook," Alex said timidly.

"Oh," Kurt frowned, taking the phone. "Thank you." He looked at the screen. "Rachel called me 12 times?" Adrenaline immediately started running through his body. What if something happened to Finn?

He tapped her name and held the phone to his ear, tapping his foot nervously.

"Kurt?"

"Rachel?" he almost yelped when she picked up. "What's wrong? Is Finn ok?"

"Yeah, he's fine," she said quickly. "It's Ashley."

"Oh, my God," he swallowed. "What happened? Is she hurt?"

"Yes… I mean, well… not physically," Rachel bit her lip. "Finn and I told her that I'm pregnant yesterday and she's been having a lot of issues dealing with it. I'm sorry I called so many times, I just need someone to talk to about it."

Kurt breathed a long sigh of relief.

"For you, Diva Mommy, I have all the time in the world," he said reassuringly. "What happened?"

_Rachel yawned as she sauntered out of her bedroom and down the hall to go wake up her daughter like she'd done every morning since Ashley started pre-school. She quietly pushed down the door handle and opened the door._

_ But Ashley wasn't there. She wasn't sound asleep under the covers like always, her favorite toys, Tig-Tig and McGeeGee, held tightly in her arms. She wasn't playing with her toys on the floor. She wasn't playing dress-up. She wasn't reading. She wasn't coloring. **She** **wasn't** **there**._

_ Rachel swallowed hard as panic surged through her body. She tore into the bathroom, finding that Ashley wasn't there either. Adrenaline coursing through her body, Rachel checked every room upstairs. Terror gripped her as she rushed downstairs, praying her daughter would be there. She had her cell phone grasped tightly in her hand, ready to call 911, Finn, and the whole damn world if she had to in order to find her baby girl. Again she searched every room, looking in every corner of every closet and behind each door, calling Ashley's name as she went._

_ Right before she reached the kitchen, Rachel stopped in her tracks. Ashley was sitting up against a wall by the door. Her Princess Ariel backpack lay at her feet, and she was fully dressed for school in her skirt, blouse, cardigan, knee socks, and loafers._

_ Deciding to ignore the fact that Ashley got fully dressed by herself at age three for her own sanity's sake, Rachel slowly walked towards her daughter._

_ "Sweetheart, didn't you hear me calling you?" she asked gently. Ashley shrugged, looking at the floor. "You weren't in your room; I was worried about you, baby."_

_ "**Ashley**," Ashley corrected her seriously._

_ Rachel gave her a short, awkward nod, "Right." She bit her lip, trying to think of something to break the tension. "Hey, you got dressed all by yourself," she smiled, her heart sinking as she realized how grown up Ashley was becoming at age three. "I'm so proud of you!" Ashley just looked away. "Well, are you hungry?" Rachel tried. "I can make your favorite pancakes! Daddy's on a football trip, so he's not around to eat them all," she teased._

_ "No, thank you," Ashley said tensely._

_ "Oh," Rachel bit her lip. Ashley had never turned down pancakes before. "Well, how about some cereal or something?"_

_ "I'm not hungry," Ashley said quietly. "I want to go to school." Rachel's heart sank._

_ "Ashley, you have to eat something," Rachel said calmly, but seriously._

_ "No!" Ashley scowled. "You don't even love me! Why do you care?"_

"And that's her answer to everything now…" Rachel said heartbrokenly. "No matter what I tried to tell her, she wouldn't listen to a word I said. Please, Kurt… I really need your help. She won't anything I make, I can't hug her, I can't talk to her - she _hates_ me!"

"She does not hate you!" Kurt interjected. "Of course I'll help you, Rachel, but she does not by any means hate you. Trust me. She's just hurt, that's all."

"You weren't there, Kurt. This isn't just some stupid tantrum," Rachel shook her head.

"No, it's not," Kurt conceded. "But it doesn't mean she hates you. Rachel, she's in the stage where you're her favorite parent. It's totally natural. Rosie went through it last year; she wouldn't let Blaine do anything for her for a month. Look, Rachel, Ashley is hurt. She wants nothing more than your attention and she feels like she's going to lose it all. Plus, she's possibly even more stubborn than her mother, which makes matters worse." Rachel rolled her eyes, wiping a few tears from her cheeks as she pulled into her parking spot in the garage under her office building. "Rachel, just take it easy, ok? All this stress isn't good for the baby."

"For God sakes will you and everyone else stop worrying so much about the baby growing inside me and worry about the one already in this world? The baby will be fine!" Rachel exclaimed. "No wonder Ashley's so scared of this!"

"Rachel, please just calm down," Kurt pleaded. "I didn't mean that I don't care about her. Of course I care about Ashley! She's my Goddaughter. I just mean that it's better for everyone if we're all calm in trying to deal with this. One emotional party is hard enough to deal with."

"I know, I know," Rachel sighed. "I'm sorry, Kurt. I just love her too much to see her go through this."

"Look, Rachel," Kurt bit his lip, "I'll pick her up from school today and bring her over to our house. She and Rosie can play, and I'll make sure she eats a good dinner. If you want to pick her up then you can, or you know she's always welcome to stay at our house. Just promise me you won't freak out. Please - for her sake."

"I promise," Rachel nodded. "Thank you, Kurt."

"Of course," he nodded before adding, "Rachel, she's just upset, ok? Don't read too far into it. She thinks she losing you, and right now you're the most important person in her life. It's just a shock for her. Ashley is going to come around, Rachel. I promise. It may take a little time, and it _will_ take a lot of love and a hell of a ton of patience, but she'll come around. Ok?"

"Ok," Rachel nodded.

"Good," Kurt smiled a bit. "Now smile and go do whatever you're supposed to be doing today."

"Thanks, Kurt," Rachel smiled.

"Of course, Diva Mommy," he nodded. "We're family; it's what we do."

"Hey, my oh-so-amazing brother-in-law?" Rachel called before he hung up.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"I love you," she smiled.

"Aww. I love you, too," he grinned.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Two days later, things were largely the same between Rachel and Ashley. At least Ashley had realized that a hunger strike did no one any good, and finally agreed to eat what Rachel made for her. Still, their conversations were few and tense at best. On a Friday night when they would normally be laughing and playing, they were awkwardly eating clear across the kitchen table from one another - another change, considering Ashley usually sat right at Rachel's side. Thankfully Finn was due home late that night.

"You want to watch a movie tonight?" Rachel asked hopefully as she watched her daughter take another bite of spaghetti across the table. Ashley shook her head.

"I'm going to read," she said quietly.

"Ok," Rachel nodded calmly, though her heart was aching. "Can I read with you?"

"No!" Ashley glared at her, immediately dropping her fork. "I'm not a baby, 'member? I can do it myself!"

"Ok, ok," Rachel conceded sadly, holding her hands up in surrender. "If you don't want me to, I won't."

That seemed to anger Ashley even more. She glared down at her plate. Rachel's heart ached; it was a very poor choice of words on her part. By day two, Rachel figured out that Kurt was right - Ashley very much missed her and wanted to be with her, but couldn't let go of her own fear of abandonment enough to get over her anger.

"Ashley, are you sure you don't want to watch a movie or something?" Rachel tried again. "You can have the couch all to yourself. I promise. I'll sit where you want me to sit. I can make you a big ice cream sundae, and you can pick whatever movie you w-"

"No," Ashley shook her head and got out of her chair. "I'm going to go read."

"Wait a second," Rachel said, getting up and walking after her daughter. "Are you done eating?" Ashley nodded. "You don't want any dessert?" Rachel was desperate for anything that would allow her to spend time with her daughter, but Ashley shook her head.

"No, thank you," Ashley said.

"Ok," Rachel said softly. "I'll come up and say goodnight in a little while, then."

Ashley looked up at her, heartbreak evident in the young girl's chocolate brown eyes.

"Please don't," she said quietly before turning around and heading for the stairs.

Rachel felt her heart shatter into a million pieces. She swallowed, forcing back tears as she watched Ashley walk away.

"I love you, Ashley," she said heavily.

But Ashley just kept walking away. Rachel inhaled deeply and anxiously pinched the bridge of her nose. She kept telling herself that Ashley didn't know how much her words hurt - that a three year old, no matter how linguistically or intellectually advanced, couldn't know how much her words could hurt others. She hoped it, anyway.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Rachel silently pushed open the door to Ashley's room. Not surprisingly she was asleep on top of her bed, still fully clothed in her uniform skirt and blouse with _Guess How Much I Love You_ still open on her chest. Reaching behind her, Rachel dimmed the lights before walking over and gently tugging the book away from her daughter's hands. That was the book Ashley asked Rachel to read her every single night before Finn joined in with _If You Give a Mouse a Cookie_. Rachel shook her head sadly and grabbed some PJ's from the closet.

She sat down on the side of the bed and changed Ashley into her PJ's, as she'd done every night since the day of her birth. After tucking her daughter in, Rachel knelt by the side of the bed. Ashley's nose twitched and the frown that had been on her face since Rachel entered the room deepened.

"Why are you doing this, baby?" Rachel asked heartbrokenly, reaching up and caressing her daughter's cheek. The second she touched Ashley's cheek, the frown melted away. She sighed and brushed the hair from her daughter's face.

"_So I throw up my fist,_

_ Throw a punch in the air,_

_ And accept the truth that sometimes life isn't fair_

_ Yeah, I'll send out a wish,_

_ Yeah, I'll send up a prayer,_

_ That finally_…"

A tear rolled down Rachel's cheek as she leaned over and kissed her daughter's forehead. She tucked the covers in around Ashley and brushed her fingertips against her cheek. "_That finally __**you**__ will see how much I care_…" she finished.

With that she left the room, turning off the lights and leaving the door slightly ajar on her way out.

"Rachel…"

Her head snapped up and she stopped in the middle of the hallway to see her husband, who still had his bags in hand. She opened her mouth to say something, but all that came out was a choked sob. Finn knew things still hadn't really improved between them from Rachel's phone calls, but he didn't expect it to be _this_ bad.

"Rach, come here," he said hurriedly as he quietly tossed his bags into their room and rushed over to her. She grabbed his hand and pulled him into their bedroom, not wanting to wake Ashley. "Rachel, what happened?" Finn asked worriedly, shutting the door behind them.

Rachel shook her head into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. "I can't see her like this anymore, Finn," she sobbed. "I can't!"

Finn eventually picked her up in his arms and lifted her onto the bed. He continued to hold her until she stopped crying enough to change into sweatpants and one of his old t-shirts before brushing her teeth and going to bed.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Finn pushed open the door to Ashley's room and stepped inside. Moonlight cascaded over the entire room from the window, lighting up the entire room. She was sleeping restlessly, tossing and turning with her sheets kicked off and her toys halfway across the room. He knelt at the side of her bed and reached up to rub her back. Suddenly her eyes fluttered open.

"Daddy?" she murmured.

"Yeah, kiddo, it's me," he nodded, mentally kicking himself for waking her up. She launched herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He held her for a long while, occasionally kissing the top of her head until she let go. "Go back to sleep, sweetheart," he said as he smoothed her hair. "I'll see you in the morning."

"I can't," she frowned. "Nightmares…"

"Oh?" he asked softly. "What about?" Ashley looked down at her lap and shrugged. "What, sweetheart?"

"…Mommy never loving me again…" she answered almost inaudibly.

"Ashley," he shook his head. "That's never going to happen."

"You don't know that," Ashley sniffled.

"Of course I do," he said, picking her up in his arms and sitting down on the bed.

"How?" she asked, teary-eyed.

"Because she's your Mommy," he answered simply. "She loves you more than anything."

"But I'm not her baby now…" Ashley said dejectedly.

"Ash, you will _always_ be her baby," Finn said calmly. "Just because you won't be the youngest anymore doesn't mean she won't love you. You'll always be her baby girl no matter what."

"You?" Ashley asked.

"Are you kidding?" Finn smiled, tickling her a bit. "You'll always be my Smashley."

"Ashley!" she giggled.

"Bashley?" he repeated.

"No!" Ashley laughed. "Ashley!"

"Oh! Ashley… that's it," Finn laughed.

"You're silly, Daddy," Ashley shook her head.

"I know," he nodded. "But really, Ash, Mommy and I love you so, _so_ much."

"Then why do you want a baby?" Ashley asked.

Finn bit his lip and wondered how in the world he was going to explain that to a three-year-old.

"Well… because we want another baby," he said softly. "And it's not because we don't want you, Ash - I promise. We love you the same. I mean, wouldn't it be cool to have someone else to play with? Being a big sister will be fun." Ashley yawned before shrugging. "You ready to go back to sleep?" She nodded. "Do you want to sleep in Mommy and Daddy's bed tonight? I'm sure Mommy will be glad to see her baby girl."

Ashley shook her head, "Here."

He sighed and got up to tuck her back in.

"Ashley," he said gently. "Please don't be mad at Mommy. She's very, very sad that you're so upset."

"I don't care," Ashley pouted defensively.

"You don't care?" Finn repeated softly. "But you really hurt her feelings, Ash…"

Ashley looked up at him for a moment in question before she again looked down at her lap and pouted.

"She hurt mine!" she huffed. "She's _my_ Mommy!"

"Ash, that's selfish," Finn said. "And I know you didn't mean to, but you made Mommy cry." She kept looking at her lap, but fiddled anxiously with the top sheet. "She loves you _so_, **so** much, and it hurts Mommy's feelings when you push her away."

"What?" Ashley sniffled questioningly.

"Uh… when you don't want her to do Mommy stuff…" Finn explained. "Like when you don't talk to her, or don't want to be with her." Ashley didn't say anything; she just hung her head. "Ash, can you try to be nicer to Mommy? Please?" She shrugged wordlessly. Finn sighed. "Well, you better get some sleep, kiddo." He tucked her in and kissed her forehead.

"Daddy?" Ashley called drowsily.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Stay please," she pleaded softly.

"Ok," he nodded, sitting back down on the edge of the bed.

Finn rubbed her back until she fell asleep. No more than three minutes later, he heard the telltale deep breaths that always meant she was fast asleep. He got up off the bed and walked back to his room, where Rachel was sleeping restlessly.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Rachel woke up two hours later, jolting upright in bed. Reaching over, she nudged her husband awake before turning on the light beside her bed.

"Wha?" Finn yawned. "What's wrong?"

"There's something wrong with Ashley," she said worriedly.

"What? Why? What happened?" he asked quickly.

"I don't know," she shook her head, staring out of the open door to their bedroom. "There just is; I can feel it."

"Rach, I was in there like two hours ago," Finn tried. "I put her back to sleep, and she was-"

"MOOOMMMMEEEEE!"

Just as Rachel threw back the covers and jumped out of bed, Ashley came sprinting into their room. The second she saw Rachel, Ashley ran to her. Rachel immediately knelt down and scooped her sobbing daughter up into her arms. Finn and Rachel looked at one another questioningly. In a matter of seconds Rachel could feel Ashley's tears seeping through her t-shirt.

"Sweetheart, what's the matter?" Rachel asked softly. "Did something scare you?" Ashley shook her head against Rachel's shoulder. Her small body was wracked with sobs as she clung to her mother. Rachel soothingly rubbed her back. "What's wrong, baby?"

Ashley started to cry harder.

"I-I-I'm s-" she choked. "M-M-Mommy…"

"I'm here," Rachel soothed. "I'm right here, sweetheart. You're ok. I gottcha." She looked at Finn questioningly as she laid back down on the bed, Ashley crying into her chest.

"She said she's sorry," he explained, reaching over to brush Ashley's hair from her face.

Ashley nodded her head.

"Oh, honey," Rachel said softly, rubbing her daughter's back and pressing a few soft kisses into her hair. "It's ok."

"D-Do y-y-you still l-love m-m-me?" Ashley stammered through near-hysterical sobs.

"Of course I do!" Rachel exclaimed. "I'll **always**, _always_ love you, Ashley. That will **never **change. I promise."

"Even w-when the b-b-baby c-comes?" Ashley asked.

"_Always_," Rachel said calmly. "I'll love you forever and ever and ever. I won't be able to play with you as much once the baby comes, but that doesn't mean I don't love you. I'll always be there to give you lots of hugs and kisses whenever you want."

Finn smiled a bit as he watched the two (soon-to-be three) loves of his life. All was well again in the Hudson household. Suddenly an idea popped into his head, and a wide smile broke out on his face. Maybe there was a way Ashley wouldn't have to play by herself at all when the baby came.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"Mommy! Daddy! Mommy! Daddy! Mommy! Daddy!" Ashley exclaimed excitedly as she ran into their room. "IT'S CHRISTMAS!"

Rachel caught Ashley in her arms as the little girl ran through the doors. She couldn't help but laugh; Ashley had done this every day of Hanukkah as well.

"Merry Christmas, Sleeping Beauty," she smiled. "I was just going to go wake you up."

"I'm awake!" Ashley giggled.

"Yes, I can see that, munchkin," Rachel laughed. "You ready to go see if Santa came?"

"Yes!" Ashley smiled, practically shaking with excitement. Her face fell as she looked around. "Wait! Where's Daddy? We can't get presents without him!"

"Well let's go find him, then," Rachel nodded, trying her best to bite back an excited smile.

She walked out of her room and down the hall. Ashley buried her head in Rachel's shoulder so she couldn't see the presents until both her Mommy and Daddy were there.

"Hmm…" Rachel said as seriously as she could, "Where do you think he is?" She walked towards the stairs. "Oh, Daddy, where are you?"

"I'm down here!"

An ear-to-ear smile stretched across Rachel's face when she started down the stairs. She stopped midway down, just to the point where she and Ashley had a panoramic view of the family room where all the presents were.

"Daddy?" Ashley called out.

"I'm here, Ash!" Finn called back.

"Can I look, Mommy?" Ashley asked excitedly.

Rachel grinned and kissed the top of her head.

"Yeah, baby," she nodded. "Open your eyes."

Ashley's jaw dropped when she lifted her head from Rachel's shoulder. She let out an excited gasp and a squeal.

Finn was sitting among all of the wrapped presents, playing with a pudgy, fluffy little Golden Retriever puppy that had a big red bow around his neck. He and Rachel exchanged loving, excited glances as Ashley's hands flew to her mouth.

"IT'S A PUPPY!" she exclaimed as Rachel continued down the stairs.

"Yes, he is," Rachel nodded. "Merry Christmas, sweetheart."

She set Ashley down on the ground, and she immediately reached out for the puppy.

"You have to be gentle, Ash," Finn reminded her. "He's a little puppy."

"What's his name?" she asked, giggling as the puppy licked her hand.

"You have to give him one," Rachel smiled.

"I get to name him?" Ashley asked excitedly.

"Yeah, Ash," Finn nodded, getting up and wrapping his arms around Rachel from behind. He rested his hands on her small baby bump and kissed her shoulder.

Ashley bit her lip, trying to think of a name as she gently scratched the puppy's tummy.

"You could name him… hmm… Simba…" Finn shrugged, trying to help her come up with a name that wasn't something like "snowball" or "pizza".

"Simba is a kitty, Daddy!" Ashley laughed.

"Right," Finn laughed.

"Claude is cute," Rachel tried. Finn and Ashley both looked at her crossly. "Ok, never mind, then."

"I know!" Ashley smiled. Finn and Rachel both winced, hoping it wouldn't be something ridiculous. "Sammy!"

"Oh, Sam is going to _love_ that," Rachel laughed.

"That's an awesome name, Ash!" Finn said excitedly, incredibly grateful her name of choice wasn't "fluffy", "sparkles", or "fairy dust".

"Sammy it is," Rachel smiled as Sammy licked Ashley's cheeks, making her giggle.

"Girl's best friend," Finn whispered in Rachel's ear as they watched the two play around.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Rachel and Finn watched the sight before them with ear-to-ear smiles.

"I think they're going to be good friends," Finn smirked. Rachel bit back a laugh.

Ashley was fast asleep in her bed, exhausted after a long day of opening presents, being with family, and playing with Sammy. And Sammy was asleep right next to her in the same spot in which he would sleep every single night for the rest of his life.

_**Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! As always, reviews are greatly appreciated! Feedback is love!**_


	9. Her Whole Heart

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or any other companies/products used in the making of this story. "What Makes You Beautiful" is a song by One Direction, and covered by Boyce Avenue.**_

_**Author's Note: So, here's the next chapter. I decided to return to Finn and Rachel's high school days for this one. Mind you, it marks a lot of "firsts", if you catch my drift, so it's rated T for a reason (suggestive themes/discussions). Also, bear with me on the detail-fudging factor, please, guys (as usual). This has nothing to do with "The First Time", except that it is dealing with the same topic (no spoilers, completely different). As always, I hope you enjoy the chapter, and thank you for reading.**_

**Her Whole Heart**

Carole watched as Finn paced back and forth across the back porch. Flurries of snow were blowing under the overhang and collecting in his messy brown hair, but he kept pacing. She frowned, letting out a long sigh.

"What's the matter with him?" Burt asked as he walked into the kitchen.

"He gets the call today," she answered. Burt nodded solemnly.

"You'd think being courted by the Boston College, Syracuse, and Ohio State for football would be enough for him," he remarked. Carole smiled to herself as she watched her son stop and stare out at the falling snow.

"Compared to her, nothing will ever be enough for him," she said somewhat proudly.

"But the chances of him getting that scholarship…" Burt said quietly.

"I know," Carole nodded. "Believe me, I know. I've been trying to tell him that from the beginning, but it's pointless. He won't listen."

"What's he gonna do if he doesn't get it?" Burt asked.

"He'll go to Syracuse and commute on weekends," she shrugged. "He already bargained with the coach to get the school to allow him to have a car on campus his freshman year if he goes."

"BC? OSU?" Burt questioned. Carole let out a small laugh.

"They were never in the cards," she answered. "Too far from her. Even she told him to go wherever he wanted to go, but he wouldn't listen. This decision is all his, even if it is about her. He hasn't even told her about this."

"And you're ok with him throwing away other incredible opportunities for a girl? These are opportunities that most kids can only dream of." Burt frowned. "I mean, Rachel is a fantastic young woman, but they both have their entire lives ahead of them."

Carole turned to him, leaning on the counter and looking into his eyes.

"At some point I guess I realized that, while he's my son and I want him to be as successful as he can possibly be, I also want him to be happy," she paused. "And for him to be happy, I have to accept that he's perfectly capable of making his own decisions." She glanced at Finn. "All I know is that Rachel makes him happier than I have _ever_ seen him, and that his choice is _her_. Besides, it's not like he's giving up on a career. He's going to have a great education and a great experience either way. If he were throwing away his entire life for her, that definitely wouldn't be ok with me. But he's not. He's making the choice largely because of her, but with all good options to choose from. If it bites him in the butt, then he'll learn from it. If not, then he'll be happier than he would be anywhere else with anyone else. As much as I hate admitting it, he's an adult. I can't control him anymore. All I can do now is trust him and support him."

Burt smiled and wrapped his arms around her.

"I love you," he said softly.

"I love you too, honey," she grinned. "Besides, I think Finn and Rachel will be together for a very long time."

"You think?" Burt asked.

"Oh yeah," Carole nodded. "Finn still tells me enough for me to know that they've never had sex, which means his love for her is real _love_. This decision he's making is based on his pure love for who she is as a person, not his lust for her."

"Although I'm sure the latter exists, too," Burt smirked. "But I see where you're coming from, and I agree with you."

"Yeah well…" Carole sighed. "He's a big boy. As long as there aren't any more surprise pregnancies, who am I to say no to what he and Rachel decide to do?"

"I wish my mom was more like you when I was his age," Burt mumbled. Carole laughed and kissed him on the cheek.

"Yeah I bet you do," she smirked.

And then the phone rang.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"Well, I think that's about it," Carole mused as she surveyed the kitchen. She turned to her son and smirked at the sight of him.

"Can I go wake her up?" Finn asked excitedly. "Please! Please, Mom…"

Carole couldn't help but laugh. Finn was always excited Christmas morning, but he was practically bursting at the seams with enthusiasm; he'd even woken up early with her to prepare their traditional big breakfast so that it would be ready after they finished opening presents.

"We finished kind of early," she said softly. "You don't want to let everyone sleep in a little?" Carole knew it was a stupid question, but thought she'd try anyway. The dejected look on her son's face made her sigh. He _did_ practically cook the entire breakfast by himself just because he wanted to help out - under her supervision, of course. "Ok…" she conceded. "I'll go wake up Burt and Kurt, too."

"Yes!" Finn exclaimed. As nervous as he was about his big surprise for her, he couldn't wait to wake her up.

Immediately he bounded off in the direction of the stairs, looking away from the family room so he wouldn't see all of the presents under the tree just yet.

Carole smiled lovingly at her son as he ran up the stairs three at a time. She couldn't help but marvel at how much he'd grown. Sure, he was still the same little boy he'd always been on Christmas morning. But this time he was excited not so much for the presents, but for the gift of sharing his favorite day of the year with someone he loved with all his heart.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Finn quietly opened the door to the guest bedroom and gulped somewhat anxiously at the sight of her fast asleep. He silently shut the door behind him and went over to sit on the side of the bed. His heart skipped a beat at how beautiful she was - especially with her hair messy from a good night's sleep and no makeup on her face.

"Rachel…"

He reached out and lovingly swept the hair away from her face. He didn't know why he was so nervous all of a sudden. Well, there was the special surprise he had planned for her, but even that wasn't the reason at the moment. Finn felt that way sometimes when he looked at her - like she was just so perfect and amazing that she would never want to be with a guy like him. But there she was at his house, sleeping over just so she could spend Christmas morning with him and his family. He was so incredibly excited when her Dads agreed to her staying over Christmas Eve (in the guest room, of course) so she could spend Christmas with him.

Suddenly her eyes fluttered open as he ran his thumb back and forth across her cheek.

"Merry Christmas, Rach," he whispered.

She yawned and gave him a sleepy smile.

"Merry Christmas, Finn," she said softly, sitting up. "You know, I could get used to being woken up by my boyfriend every morning…"

Finn just stared her with his trademark goofy grin before nearly tackling her with a hug. Rachel let out a surprised yelp, but quickly wrapped her arms around him and relaxed against his body.

"This is the best Christmas ever," he declared.

"It's like seven o'clock in the morning," Rachel laughed a bit. "It hasn't even started."

"Doesn't matter," Finn kissed her forehead. "You're here - _that's_ why it's the best ever."

Rachel reached up and cupped his cheek in her hand.

"I love you, Finn," she said.

"I love you so much, Rachel," he smiled. "Oh! I almost forgot - my mom and I got you some Christmas PJ's." He reached behind him on the bed and handed them to her. Rachel smiled at the red pants covered in pudgy penguins with Santa hats and stars, and the white long-sleeve top with the same penguin and a big Christmas tree on the front. "We kind of figured you probably wouldn't have Christmas PJ's on account of you being Jewish and all, so I hope you don't mind or anything…"

"I love them!" she exclaimed.

"Really?" Finn smiled, relieved. "I was going to give them to you before you went to bed, but they didn't finish drying in t-"

Finn's mouth dropped open when Rachel changed into the long-sleeve shirt right in front of him.

"See something you like, Hudson?" she smirked, pulling the shirt over her head.

"Uh… um," Finn swallowed hard. "Mhmm." Rachel couldn't help but laugh at how uncomfortable her boyfriend was.

Suddenly the door opened and Kurt burst into the room.

"Come on, guys!" he exclaimed. "It's Christmas!" Kurt's eyes widened at Rachel as she quickly pulled the shirt over the rest of her torso. "Oh… wow, I'm sorry." He looked away. "I didn't realize you two were already opening presents."

"Oh, hush," Rachel glared at him. "I'm putting on the Christmas PJ's he and your stepmom bought for me."

"Uh-huh," Kurt smirked teasingly. "Well, make it quick at least. I want to open presents!"

Finn and Rachel both laughed once the door closed.

"I'll, um, turn around so you can put the pants on," Finn smiled a bit and looked away so she could change. "You know, I'm really glad you're here, Rach." He rubbed the back of his neck anxiously. "Christmas is just so much better with you he-"

Rachel cut him off as she tackled him onto the bed in a tender kiss. After a few moments she pulled away and looked into his eyes, smiling a bit.

"There's no one I'd rather spend it with," she said softly. "Actually you're the only one I'd ever spend it with, considering it's not really my holiday anyway."

He grinned and swallowed nervously, thinking yet again of her surprise. He really hoped she'd love it.

"Finn, Rachel! Hurry up, you guys! The presents won't open themselves!" Carole called.

"We should probably go downstairs," Rachel suggested, laughing.

He nodded, smiling as he suddenly picked her up in his arms. Rachel let out another surprised yelp.

"Allow me, m'lady," he smirked.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Carole kept sneaking glances at Finn out of the corner of her eye. She'd never seen him so happy as he was just sitting there watching everyone revel in the joys of Christmas with Rachel sitting on his lap, snuggled in his arms. She was so proud of him, of the man he'd become. Kurt's gasp brought her out of her reverie.

"Rachel! Finn!" he exclaimed. "You didn't!" Rachel and Finn just smiled at him. "It's the-the new Burberry crossbody bag I wanted! How did-? But you… how?" he stammered.

"We saw you eyeing it the last time we went to the mall," Rachel shrugged.

"But you were with me," Kurt added. "How did you…?"

"Remember when Blaine dragged you to Footlocker to look at running shoes?" Finn smirked. A look of realization crossed Kurt's face.

"Oh my God, thank you!" he exclaimed, jumping up and giving them both a huge hug. He sat back down on the floor and hugged the bag. "Wow!" Everyone laughed.

"This one's for you, Finn," Burt said as he read the tag on the next wrapped gift.

Finn reached out from behind Rachel and took the box from Burt, giving him a soft "thanks".

"To Finn," he read, smirking at the scribbled out "from" on the tag, "_Love_ Hiram and Leroy." He laughed a bit. "Your Dads got me a Christmas gift?"

"Of course!" Rachel beamed. "They adore you!" Finn grinned up at her; they _adored_ him - not just liked, _adored_.

He carefully tore the wrapping paper off the box and took the lid off. Inside were a few things, the first of which was a note.

"This note entitles one Finn Hudson to an all-expenses-paid weekend in New York City to visit one Rachel Berry while she's away at college," Finn read. Kurt had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling, as did Carole and Burt. "Wow! Rach, I don't know what to say," Finn smiled, trying desperately not to give away his own surprise in the least.

"Ok, I know it's a little premature considering you haven't committed to a college yet," Rachel said softly. "But they know you've been really considering Ohio State, Syracuse, and Boston College, so they thought this would be good." He could see a twinge of sadness in her eyes at the mention of him at a different college, no matter how much she was trying to hide it.

"I'll call them later and tell them thank you," Finn smiled, kissing her on the cheek. "It's perfect." He picked up the second part of the gift - a smaller box, and opened the lid. "Oh, wow," his eyes widened. "Bonnie Dune tickets! Rach!"

"They know how much you like their music," Rachel shrugged sweetly.

"Oh, man!" Finn smiled, giving her a tender kiss. "I'm going to call them after breakfast and thank them! This is awesome!"

They continued opening presents for another hour. Finn loved Rachel's gift to him even more - an NYU sweatshirt and a scrapbook of their best moments together. Carole got Burt season tickets to the Cleveland Browns football games, and he got her the new copper-core pots she'd been wanting, which made her all the more excited to cook Christmas dinner. Finn got Rachel a necklace and earrings to go with her star necklace he'd purchased for her last year. And after it was all said and done, everyone was brimming with the joy of Christmas.

"Well, I think that's it," Burt said, surveying the room for any missed presents.

"Actually," Finn bit his lip anxiously. "I have one more gift to give… to Rachel." Rachel looked at him quizzically. He gave her a small smile before picking her up and putting her down on the couch next to him so he could get up. "I'll be right back."

"Do you guys know what he's up to?" Rachel asked.

Carole, Burt, and Kurt all looked at one another and smiled.

"Nope. Not in the slightest," Kurt smirked just as Finn walked back into the room with a badly wrapped gift.

"This is for you, Rach," he smiled nervously, handing her the present.

She took it and curiously peeled back the wrapping paper. A loud gasp escaped her lips as soon as she took the lid off of the box underneath. It was a Columbia University Lions Football t-shirt. Finn knelt down before her so he could look up into her already-watery eyes.

"This is so, um," he swallowed, smiling gently, "You know, if you ever get a break from all your rehearsals at Tisch, you can come maybe, you know, cheer me on at a football game, or something…"

"You're going t-to Columbia?" Rachel asked shakily, her voice muffled through the hand clasped over her mouth. "In N-New York?"

"I committed right after you called to tell me you got into Tisch," Finn nodded. He reached up and took Rachel's trembling hands into his own. "I didn't want to tell you until it was confirmed, but it is now, so…" he took a deep breath. "I know you said that I could do anything and you'd always support me no matter what, but you've always been my choice, Rachel. I knew a long time ago that I could never live without you, and now we can be together."

Rachel let out a choked sob before pushing the box off her lap and nearly tackling Finn with a hug. He stood up, holding her close in his arms as she cried hysterically into his shoulder.

"Rach," he soothed, rubbing her back. "It's ok, babe." He sat back down on the couch and hugged her tightly.

Carole got up, discretely ushering Kurt and Burt with her.

"We'll go get breakfast ready," she said softly, smoothing Rachel's hair as she walked towards the kitchen. Kurt leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

"Well I guess my Dads will have to get you another Christmas present," Rachel joked after a few moments, still crying softly against his shoulder.

"Rach, they've already given the entire world the greatest gift imaginable," Finn smiled softly.

Rachel leaned back and looked him in the eyes questioningly.

"What's that?" she asked.

Finn reached up and lovingly wiped the tears from her cheeks as a sweet smile played at his lips.

"_You_," he whispered.

A fresh wave of tears welled up in Rachel's eyes and she hit him gently on the chest.

"Stop being so damn cute! You're making me an emotional wreck!" she huffed before again burying her head in his shoulder.

"I love you too, baby," he laughed, kissing her on the cheek.

She wasn't the only one, either, as both Kurt and Carole were eavesdropping from the kitchen with tears in their eyes.

After a long while Rachel finally calmed down enough to eat breakfast with everyone, but kept a tight hold on Finn's hand at all times just to make sure he was still there and she wasn't dreaming.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"There," Carole sighed, stepping back from the counter and putting her towel down. "All finished."

Rachel turned off the water and dried her hands on another towel before reached up and wiping off the suds that 'somehow' made their way onto Finn's nose.

"Admiring your handiwork?" Finn smirked, letting her brush the bubbles from his cheeks - remnants from the soapsuds fight they had while washing the dishes after dinner.

"Kurt is too," Blaine laughed, letting Kurt do the same to him.

Rachel and Kurt gave one another a behind the back high five as they laughed.

"Finn, Kurt, we're all set up!" Burt called from around the corner. "It's go time!" Finn and Kurt looked up, grinning wildly. Carole, Blaine, and Rachel looked at one another in question.

"Go time?" Carole asked.

"We sort of have another surprise for you," Kurt explained.

"Another one?" Rachel's eyes widened.

"Yep," Finn beamed. "Something special for our… well, our better halves."

Carole, Blaine, and Rachel all looked at one another and grinned before following the two of them into the family room. Much to their surprise, there were three stools and a guitar on a stand in front of the couch. The three of them took their seats on the couch, while Burt, Kurt, and Finn sat down on the stools.

"We're going to sing a little song for you guys," Finn smiled.

Rachel, Blaine, and Carole's eyes widened as they looked at one another.

"It was Finn's idea actually," Kurt added. "He wanted to do something special for Rachel and asked us if we wanted in on it." Rachel flashed a beaming smile at her boyfriend.

"And we agreed so we could tell you guys how much you mean to all of us," Burt nodded.

"So we stole a few techniques from the Warblers and created this little number," Kurt interjected.

"Whether it's as a Mom, wife, confidant, best friend, boyfriend, or girlfriend," Finn finished, "this Christmas we're all together as a… well, a _family_." Rachel's heart skipped a beat, as did Blaine's. "We all thought it was really special to celebrate that, and especially to show you how much all of us love all of you. So, without further ado…"

Finn grabbed the guitar and started playing as if he'd done it his entire life (thanks to Mr. Schuester and a few lessons after school). Rachel, Blaine, and Carole were all stunned from the start.

"_You're insecure_

_ Don't know what for_

_ You're turning heads when you walk through the door_

_ Don't need make up_

_ To cover up_

_ Being the way that you are is enough_," Finn started, strumming gently on the guitar as he sang the intro. Tears were already welling up in Carole's eyes, and rolling down Rachel's cheeks.

Kurt and Burt joined in to create an incredible three-part harmony:

"_Everyone else in the room can see it_

_ Everyone else but you_

_ Baby you light up my world like nobody else_

_ The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed_

_ But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell_

_ You don't know_

_ You don't know you're beautiful_

_ That's what makes you beautiful_

_ So, girl, come on_

_ You got it wrong_

_ To prove I'm right, I put it in a song_

_ I don't know why_

_ You're being shy_

_ And turn away when I look in your eyes_

_ Everyone else in the room can see it_

_ Everyone else but you_

_ Baby you light up my world like nobody else_

_ The way you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed_

_ But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell_

_ You don't know_

_ You don't know you're beautiful_

_ That's what makes you beautiful_

_ That's what makes you beautiful_

_ Baby you light up my world like nobody else_

_ The way you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed_

_ But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell_

_ You don't know_

_ You don't know you're beautiful_

_ That's what makes you beautiful_

_ Oh, yeah, that's what makes you beautiful_

_ That's what makes you beautiful_."

Suddenly Finn stopped playing and put the guitar down beside the stool. They all began again a capella as he, Kurt, and Burt went over to the couch. Carole and Blaine took the outstretched hands of their significant others, while Finn went ahead and picked Rachel up off the couch before gently putting her back down. He wrapped his arms around Rachel after wiping the tears from her cheeks. Kurt and Blaine looked at one another and smiled before Kurt reached up and wrapped his arms around Blaine's neck. Carole and Burt settled into a slow dance rhythm as the Hummel-Hudson boys continued to sing.

"_Baby you light up my world like nobody else_

_ The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed_

_ But when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell_

_ You don't know_

_ You don't know you're beautiful,_" everyone dropped out except for Finn, who looked into Rachel's eyes as he finished the song:

"_If only you saw what I can see_

_ You'll understand why I want you so desperately_

_ Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe_

_ You don't know_

_ You don't know you're beautiful_

_ You don't know you're beautiful_," the three of them finished the song together in perfect harmony:

"_And that's what makes you beautiful_."

For a moment Carole, Blaine, and Rachel just stared at their respective partners in awe. Blaine leaned in and gave Kurt a sweet kiss, while Burt hugged Carole tightly in his arms. All Rachel could do was look at her boyfriend, her mouth agape and tears trailing over her cheeks no matter how many times he tried to wipe them away. Finally she just hugged him, holding on as tightly as she possibly could.

"I love you," Finn said softly, rubbing her back.

"I love you with _all_ my heart," Rachel whispered.

Finn swallowed hard as an overjoyed ear-to-ear smile spread across his face. He held Rachel tighter, wanting nothing more than to kiss her absolutely senseless, but refraining because of everyone else in the room. His heart was pounding in his chest, but he'd never felt better in his entire life. Rachel Berry loved him _with all her heart_. He felt like running, jumping, shouting to the heavens that he was madly in love with her. The best part was, she loved him right back in the same way. Finn felt like his heart was going to either burst or stop with all the love and excitement running through his body. He never understood why people said that teenagers couldn't possibly know what love was, because he was damn sure his love for Rachel was the real thing. Sure, there were definitely other great things in his life, but she made him happier than anything or anyone. Just seeing her made his heart skip a beat. The mere thought that she loved him with all her heart made his chest tighten with how much he loved her in return. He knew what they had was true love. He knew they were the exception, the fairytale one-out-of-a-billion shot. But she was it for him. She was all he'd ever really need. As long as he could see her brilliant smile and hug her close, he would be the happiest person on Earth.

Funny thing was, Rachel was thinking the exact same thing about him.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"It actually worked out kind of perfectly," Finn mused as he and Rachel strolled down the sidewalk with their arms around one another. "They're reorganizing the football conference system a little so that qualified Ivy League teams can play against non-Ivy teams. It's kind of cool. We're sort of starting on a clean slate. I can help build the team, you know? I mean, it's a huge long shot but I could still have a chance at the NFL. And if that doesn't work out, I'll have some sort of college degree for what it's worth."

"I'm so proud of you!" Rachel beamed. "I mean even beyond getting a football scholarship - you're going to an Ivy!"

"I know," Finn exhaled. "It's kind of scary, actually."

"You'll be great," Rachel said seriously, but reassuringly. "I know you will."

"Thanks. I'm just really excited that now I can go see all your plays and concerts and stuff," he grinned.

"And I can go to all of your games," Rachel smiled, contentedly snuggling further into his arms.

Finn's heart sank a bit as they walked up her driveway. It had been the best day ever and he really didn't want it to end, but he knew she had to go home. They were silent the rest of the way up to her house, but their hold on one another said everything they didn't. Something was different between them. They weren't just a couple anymore - they were _together_. Somehow over the course of that day their love had evolved into something most adults search their entire lives for. It wasn't perfect, but it was pure and true.

When Rachel opened the door to a dark house, Finn snapped out of his reverie and frowned.

"Hey, Rach, where are your Dads?" he asked, shucking off his coat and hanging it up on the wall.

"Oh, they, um, went to a Christmas party one of their other business associates was hosting," she answered nonchalantly, although he noticed an edge of nervousness in her voice.

"Wasn't I supposed to return you by the time the clock struck eight or the carriage would turn back into a pumpkin?" Finn smirked.

"Not… exactly…" Rachel smiled softly before wrapping her arms around his neck. "Cinderella just wanted the Prince all to herself."

"Well in that case," Finn grinned, lifting her bridal style into his arms before starting off towards her bedroom.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"Finn," Rachel murmured breathlessly, pulling away from him.

"What?" he asked softly.

"There's, um, something else I want to give you," she said a bit anxiously.

"Rach, really," Finn tried. "You've already given me everything I could ever want."

"Not _everything_," she said softly.

Finn's heart skipped a beat and his breath caught in his chest. He knew _exactly_ what she meant, but he was freaking out so much internally that all he could think to do was play dumb.

"What do you mean?" he asked, desperately trying to hide his sudden nervousness. "Like what?"

Rachel glanced around the room anxiously and swallowed hard before looking up to meet his eyes.

"My virginity," she said as calmly as she could.

"Oh. Now?" he gulped. "Are-Are you sure about this, Rach?"

Her face fell a bit.

"I mean we don't have to if you don't… don't want to," she bit her lip.

"No, Rachel," Finn reached out and put his hand on her arm. "Babe, that's not what I meant at all. Of course I want to do it with you." He stopped, mortified at how blunt he was. "I-I mean… oh, God, that sounded awful, I'm sorry." The faint traces of a smile on her lips gave him the courage to start over. "Rach, I just… I just want you to be sure of this. I know how much this means to you, and the _last_ thing I want to do is have you regret your first time like I do." He took her hands in his and held them against his chest. "Rachel, I love you more than I can even begin to tell you. I can't see you go through what I went through. I love you way too much to have that happen to you. I want you to be completely sure this is what you want. If this is what you want right here and now, and you want me to have the honor of being your first, then of course I'd do it in a heartbeat. But I don't want you to do this because you feel pressured to, or because you think I want you to-"

"But, Finn, I don't-" Rachel tried.

"Rach, please, this is really, really, really important to me," he pleaded. "I need you to hear me out on this." She nodded. "If I did something to make you feel like you had to do this, then I'm sorry, because I didn't mean to. I just… I love _you_, Rachel. I want to be with you because I love _who_ you are. I don't care if you want to wait until you're twenty-five with a bunch of Tonys or until the day I die - I'll wait with you. I mean, I don't want you to get the wrong idea," he rambled on, "I take so many cold showers it's embarrassing and you're _so_ damn hot. But, still. Even then, you're so much more to me, Rachel. You're so much more in general. You're the most incredible person _ever_, and I want nothing more than to be with you completely, but I'll wait forever if it means I can hug you, and kiss you, and hear your voice, and see your amazing smile, and all that stuff. So, yeah… I just needed to say that…"

For the first time he noticed Rachel smiling at him. She brought his hand up and pressed her lips against the backs of his fingers.

"I know you'd wait for me," she said softly, looking into his eyes. "And I know you'll always be there for me - I've known that since the moment we met, even when we weren't together. But we are now. We're in a committed relationship, and I love you, Finn - I love you so much it's hard to breathe sometimes. _That's_ why here and now - because we love each other more than anything else and this is the natural next step in our relationship. And, yeah, I'm nervous, but I'm more than ready for this. I know I am. And I know _we_ are, too."

Finn flashed her a sweet sideways smile.

"I'm nervous, too," he admitted sheepishly. "I want this to be really special for you."

Rachel put her hand against the side of his cheek and leaned in to give him a passionate kiss.

"It is," she whispered against his lips. "Because I'm with _you_."

**gleegleegleeglee**

Finn smiled as he brushed the hair from Rachel's face. She gave him a sweet kiss before pulling away a bit to look into his eyes.

"I want to marry you someday, Rachel Berry," he whispered. "Not until we're both ready, but someday."

Rachel smiled and nestled down against him again, snuggling against his body and resting her head on his bare chest.

"I'll hold you to that," she said contentedly.

Finn grinned and kissed the top of her head.

"Count on it," he murmured.

Rachel yawned sleepily, reaching her arm across his body to hug him close.

"Merry Christmas, Finn," she said quietly.

"Merry Christmas, Rach," he smiled; it really _was_ the best Christmas he could imagine after all.

"I love you with all my heart," she said as she drifted off to sleep.

"You _are_ my heart," Finn said softly as rested his cheek against her head. "And you always will be…"

_**Author's Note: Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Reviews are greatly appreciated! **Also, with regards to Finn's college: it is possible that he would get a scholarship to Columbia (a few kids from my old school have had this happen to them with very similar situations); so if you didn't believe it, it's not all that impossible!_


	10. Green Eyed Girl Part I

**Disclaimer: I don't own _Glee_ or Fox, only the characters you don't recognize from the show and the plot of the story.**

_**Author's Note: Ok, so this definitely did not turn out as I planned. I started out writing a cute one-shot about Ashley's birth. I ended up with Shelby's return. (I told you I was going to introduce her into the story, didn't I?) Anyway, just bear with me here; this will have a few parts to it, because it's kind of complicated. As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy the chapter!**_

**Green-Eyed Girl - Shelby's Return Part I**

_**Rachel's Birthday Baby**_

"You know, you're getting pretty good at this," Rachel smiled down at Finn as warm water cascaded over her back and shoulders.

"Just don't tell any of the guys on my squad that," he quipped, flashing her a lopsided goofy grin. "I'll never hear the end of it." He blinked a few times when water splashed in his eyes and shook his head to get some of the water out of his hair. It was hard to concentrate when it dripped down the bridge of his nose. Rachel reached down and ran her fingers through his hair, brushing it away from his eyes. It was even harder to concentrate when she did _that_.

"Why?" she pouted playfully. "You don't want them to know how well you take care of your wife?"

He snorted amusedly and stood up, kissing her swollen belly as he went.

"If by taking care of you, you mean doing _this_," he smirked, handing her back her razor, "then no. You're everything to me, and I'll dutifully shave your legs because I love you and you're pregnant with our daughter, but no." Rachel laughed. He flashed her a playful smoldering smile. "But if you mean _taking care of you_, then by all means brag about my sexual prowess to your heart's content."

"I'm pretty sure that one's obvious," Rachel pointed out teasingly, putting her hands over his on her stomach.

"Three days," Finn breathed excitedly.

"Three days," Rachel beamed, looking up into his eyes.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Rachel knew due dates were nothing more than educated guesses, but at a week and five days late with one false alarm, she was beyond ready to have her baby girl in her arms.

"I just want to hold her already!" she pouted, sinking further into Finn's arms as they sat on the bed. "I want to hold her, and hug her, and kiss her, and just _love her_!"

"I know, baby," Finn soothed, continuing to massage her back. "Just a little while longer. If she doesn't start the process on her own, they'll induce you on Monday. It'll be ok, Rach. I promise." He pulled the neck of her NYU sweatshirt back so he could kiss her shoulder where he'd just been massaging. "But, hey, it's your birthday tomorrow! That's good!"

"I don't care about my birthday," she shook her head, bringing his hands up to her belly and lacing their fingers together. "I just want to see you hold our baby girl. She's all that matters. This family is all that matters. As long as you two are happy and healthy, I have absolutely everything I could possibly want."

Finn rested his cheek against her temple and pulled up her sweatshirt so he could stroke her tummy with his thumb.

"Are you ok?" Rachel asked worriedly. "Your heart is racing."

Finn laughed a bit and nodded.

"I just love you a lot," he grinned. "_We_," he corrected, flattening his palm against Rachel's stomach, "love you a lot. Tons. To infinity and beyond and back again an infinite number of times." Rachel laughed. "Right, kiddo?" Finn smiled. His jaw dropped slightly when he felt a kick against his hand. He looked over at Rachel, whose eyes were already shimmering with tears. He kissed her forehead and nuzzled her ear affectionately. "Told ya," he grinned.

They stayed up another hour talking about anything and everything. He listened as Rachel analyzed the final four names they'd picked out: Ashley, Mia, Natalie, and Katherine. She went over every one in detail as he lazily traced hearts on her stomach and the back of her hands. They'd decided months ago to make their daughter's middle name Caroline in honor of his Mom, but it still made his heart skip a beat every time he heard Rachel talk about it. After she yawned a few times he reached down and pulled the covers up over them both. It wasn't long after that she fell asleep in his arms, resting in the 'V' of his legs. He didn't care that he probably wasn't going to sleep well or that his whole body would ache in the morning; she was comfortable and that was all that mattered.

"You know," he started once he was sure Rachel was fast asleep, "It's Mommy's birthday tomorrow, and it would be the most incredible thing in the world for her if it were yours too, kiddo. She loves you more than you'll ever know, and she just wants to be able to be your Mommy." Finn felt the baby move under his hands. "It's kind of funny, too, because I can tell she's scared, but I've never seen her more ready for anything in her life - not her first Broadway show, not graduation, not our first kiss, not even us getting married. I think it's because of Shelby. She did some mean things to your Mommy back in high school; things Mommy says don't bother her anymore, but I know they do. I know she thinks about it all the time now, and that she's just as scared as she is excited," He paused before looking down to make sure Rachel was still asleep. "Anyway, the point is that your Mommy is very, very special. She has such a big heart, and she'll love you no matter what. She's not perfect, but that's what makes her the most amazing person ever. You're so lucky to have her as your Mommy. Sure, she'll make a million mistakes, but every parent does. I'll probably make like ten million. But we love you. We love you so much it hurts. Really, sometimes it feels like my heart is just gonna explode because of how much I love you two. I can't promise that we'll always do the right thing, because we're gonna screw up. I can't promise you that we won't embarrass you in your teens, or cry on your first day of school. But I can promise that we'll love you. We'll love you no matter who you are or what you decide to do. We'll be there for every recital, game, science fair, art show, or whatever you like to do." He swallowed and let out a long sigh. "We just really, really want to get to know you. Like Mommy said, we just want to hold you and hug you and kiss you as soon as we can. And I know it's probably really safe and warm and comfortable in there… um, well… for you anyway, but I promise we'll protect you out here, too. I promise to scare away the monsters from under the bed, and I'm sure Mommy would tell you that she'll hold you in her arms and sing to you until you go back to sleep. And I know you already love it when she sings to you, because it calms you down. Anyway, I just… I wanted to tell you that we're ready - Mommy especially. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it's either tomorrow or Sunday on your own. If you're not out by Monday, Mommy will be induced, which means you're coming out whether you like it or not. I'd go for the grand entrance tomorrow on Mommy's birthday, personally; it would be incredibly special for her… you know, once all the pain is over. Um, yeah, so anyway, I love you, sweetheart. Oh, and go to sleep, kiddo, it's past your bedtime. Mommy and Daddy love you so, so much." Finn's heart skipped a beat when he felt another kick against his hand. He was starting to think she could actually understand him.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Rachel bolted awake, her hands immediately flying to her stomach.

"Ooh," she groaned. "Oh, God. Finn!"

"What?" Finn's eyes flew open. "What? What's wrong?"

"It's time," Rachel swallowed hard.

He moved out from behind his wife and sat next to her on the bed.

"Rach, are you sure it isn't just Braxton-Hicks contractions again?" he asked softly, reaching out to rub her back. They'd already taken her Dads, his Mom, Burt, Kurt and Blaine to the hospital once last week for a middle-of-the-night false alarm. He watched her worriedly as she drew in a sharp breath, her eyes wide.

"Positive," she nodded slowly, breathing heavily as she looked back at him. "My water just broke."

He looked at her for a moment in disbelief, a goofy, excited smile tipping the corners of his mouth upwards.

"This is really happening," he said under his breath. He swallowed hard and nodded, "Ok. Let's do this."

Finn jumped out of bed and started off towards his Mom and Burt's guestroom down the hall. He stopped in the doorway and turned around, glancing at the clock on his bedside table before looking over at Rachel. It was 12:03 AM on December 18th. An ear-to-ear smile crept across his face.

"It's your birthday," he pointed out. He climbed back onto the bed and gave her a sweet kiss. "I love you, Rachel," he whispered, brushing a few sweat-matted strands of hair from her face before leaning over to kiss her belly. "I knew you could do it, kiddo!"

"I love you, too," Rachel breathed.

He jumped off the bed and dashed out of the room to go wake everyone up. "Happy birthday…" he called over his shoulder. Rachel watched amusedly as he ran back to the doorway and leaned into the room. "_Mommy_," he winked before finally heading off to get everyone ready to go to the hospital.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Finn held Rachel close as another contraction washed over her. She'd been sitting in the 'V' of his legs, lying on his chest for the past four hours as contraction after contraction wracked her body. The pain wasn't terrible for the first ten hours, but after the first contraction that made her bite her lip and let out a muffled cry he carefully climbed onto the bed, sat behind her, and held her tightly during every contraction that followed.

"Why is this taking so long?" she groaned miserably. "It's been fourteen fricken' hours."

"Your body's never had to do this before," Finn said reassuringly. "Dr. Rivera said your first time giving birth is the longest." He bit his lip.

"And the most painful…" Rachel added bitterly.

He reached over to get a cool washcloth from the side table and gently wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"Anything I can do to make you feel better?" he asked.

She shook her head and squeezed his hand in hers.

"No," she breathed. "Just promise me you'll still love me after I threaten to castrate and/or kill you." She cracked a small, weary smile.

"Only if you promise not to be a total daughter-hog and let me hold her once in awhile after she's born," he teased, nuzzling her ear affectionately. They both laughed before Rachel's expression turned into a pained grimace. "Breathe, baby. Just breathe," he whispered soothingly.

She exhaled slowly, whimpering as her white-knuckle grip on his hand tightened. He whispered sweet nothings into her ear until she rode it out.

They both looked up at the sound of a knock on the sliding glass doors. Dr. Rivera walked into the room followed by two nurses.

"How are you doing, Rachel?" she asked.

"I've been better," Rachel smirked wearily.

"I can imagine," Dr. Rivera smiled. "Well, let's see how far dilated you are. Then we can gauge how soon we can get you an epidural." She looked up at them. "I hate to tell you, Finn, but I need you to get up."

"Right," Finn nodded, carefully getting off the bed. "Sorry." He stood at Rachel's side and held her hand as the nurses helped her put her feet into the stirrups at the end of the bed. Rachel groaned inwardly as the nurses placed a blue cover sheet over her legs and Dr. Rivera settled down on a stool at the end of the bed; the last thing she wanted was another pelvic exam.

"Let's see here," Dr. Rivera said as she performed the exam. "You're progressing nicely, Rachel. You're around six centimeters dilated at this point. You can see this if you want, Finn." Dr. Rivera looked up at him. Rachel struggled not to roll her eyes, but nodded towards the blue cover sheet over her legs when Finn looked at her in question. He walked over to the end of the bed behind Dr. Rivera. Rachel fought the urge to kick him when his eyes opened wide and a semi-shocked expression formed on his face. "See here?" Dr. Rivera gestured under the sheet. He nodded. "That's around six centimeters." She looked up over the sheet at Rachel. "You have about four centimeters to go, Rachel. At the rate you're progressing, I'd say it's going to be about four to five more hours until you can start pushing."

Rachel groaned inwardly again, but nodded, "Thank you."

"I'll be back in an hour or so to check up on you," Dr. Rivera smiled reassuringly, putting her hand on Rachel's shin. "If you need anything, just call. And happy birthday, by the way."

"I will, and thank you," Rachel smiled a bit.

Dr. Rivera nodded and left the room, the two nurses on her heels. Rachel looked up at Finn as he walked back to her side.

"Are you sufficiently grossed out?" she rolled her eyes teasingly.

"Rachel, you drool on me when you sleep, and you think _that_ grossed me out?" Finn cocked his head to one side and smiled a bit. Ok, it really did kind of gross him out, but he would _never_ tell her that. He leaned over and gave her a sweet kiss. "Everything about you is beautiful, Rach. You're in labor to give birth to our daughter for crying out loud. You're going through absolute hell so you can bring her into this world. I don't know about you, but I can't think of anything more incredible and beautiful than that."

Rachel reached up to cup his cheek in her hand as she leaned her forehead against his.

They looked up at the sound of another knock on the door. Carole walked into the room carrying a bag of takeout from Finn's favorite restaurant.

"The boys are parking the car, but they'll be up soon. How's the mommy-to-be-birthday-girl?" she smiled.

"I'm go-, ooh," Rachel stopped, wincing as another contraction hit. Finn immediately got back onto the bed and held her in his arms.

"Breathe through it, honey," Carole said, rushing over to take Rachel's other hand.

Rachel sat back against her husband's chest when it was finally over.

"Ugh," she mumbled. "They're getting worse every time."

"How far dilated are you?" Carole asked.

"Six centimeters," Rachel replied. "Four or five more hours before the fun really begins."

"Once you have the epidural, you'll be ok. You'll probably still feel pain, but it won't be nearly as intense," Carole said softly. "Until then, I won't lie to you, honey, it's going to be the worst pain you'll probably ever feel in your life - especially because this is your first."

"I know," Rachel nodded. "And I'm ready."

"I know you are," Carole smiled.

"Not to be a jerk and interrupt this really adorable moment, but that bag wouldn't by any chance have lunch in it, would it?" Finn asked sheepishly.

Both girls just laughed.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"And your Mom said this _wouldn't_ be as intense?" Rachel growled before she let out another pained cry.

"I know," Finn said apologetically. "I know, baby. Just try to breathe through it."

"I _am_!" Rachel glared up at him. Finn sighed inwardly; he really did feel bad that Rachel had to go through this, even if it was to have the incredible gift of their daughter. At least she hadn't threatened to never let him touch her ever again… or castrate him… or kill him, for that matter. Yet.

"You're doing great, Rachel," Dr. Rivera said encouragingly. "Just a little longer, ok? Keep breathing and push when I say so."

"O-ok," Rachel nodded.

Finn wiped the sweat from her forehead with a cool washcloth and kissed her forehead.

"Ok, Rachel," Dr. Rivera looked up at her. "Are you ready to push again?" Rachel nodded wearily. "On the count of three… as hard as you can, ok?"

"You can do it, Rach," Finn nodded reassuringly. "Just squeeze my hands as tight as you can. You got this."

"One," Dr. Rivera started. "Two… three." Rachel pushed as hard as she possibly could, screaming and squeezing Finn's hands in hers. "Good, good, Rachel! Keep going! Push again." Rachel pushed with all her might, tears streaming out of the corners of her eyes as she squeezed them shut.

"I-I can't," she swallowed, stopping after a few moments, "I can't…"

"Ok," Dr. Rivera nodded. "You can take a little break, but after this I need you to go all the way, Rachel. Can you do that for me?"

Rachel nodded tiredly.

"Rach, look at me," Finn reached down to tip her chin up. He wiped the tears from her face and ran his thumb back and forth across her cheek. "You can do this; I know you can. You know it's funny, people think I'm so tough because I'm a football jock in the NFL, but that's nothing. That's weak compared to this, compared to _you_. Look at you! Rachel, look what you're doing; you've gone through twenty hours of labor to bring our baby girl into the world. And you're so close! You're so incredibly close, Rachel! You can do this! You're the strongest person I've ever met, Rach. You can get through this. I know it's hard, and I know it hurts more than I'll ever know, but you can do it. I know you can. She's almost in your arms, Rachel. Just focus on her. I know you're exhausted, and I know you've been through twenty hours of this already, but you can do this."

Rachel took a deep breath and readjusted her grip on his hands before looking back at Dr. Rivera and nodding.

"Ok," Dr. Rivera said. "On the count of three, Rachel, push as hard as you possibly can. Just a few more and she'll be out, ok?" Rachel nodded determinedly. "One… two… three."

Rachel let out a pained cry as she pushed, straining with all her might.

"That's it, Rach," Finn said encouragingly, trying not to wince as she tightened her white-knuckle grip on his hands. He leaned over to kiss the top of her head.

"You're doing great, Rachel!" Dr. Rivera said. "Push again." Rachel took a deep breath and pushed. "Great! Keep going, Rachel! I can just see her head."

Rachel and Finn looked at one another excitedly for a split second before Rachel squeezed her eyes shut and pushed again. She grunted and let out another wail.

"You're so close, Rach," Finn said softly. "You're almost there. Keep going, babe."

"He's right, Rachel," Dr. Rivera nodded. "You're doing so well. Don't stop." Rachel tried again, this time harder than she thought possible. "Great, Rachel! Ok, here she comes. She's crowning. One more push. One more push, and she'll be out." Rachel looked up at Finn as she pushed again, giving it every drop of energy she had left. Searing pain made every nerve in her body scream, but she pushed through it all.

All at once the pain was almost completely gone. She couldn't see anything behind the blue cover sheet over her legs, but Finn's mouth was completely agape as he watched on. Suddenly loud cries filled the room. Rachel's breath caught in her chest. Tears immediately welled up in her eyes when she saw a small glimpse of the tiny, pink crying baby in Dr. Rivera's arms.

"You did it, Rachel," Dr. Rivera smiled. She looked up at Finn. "You want to cut the umbilical cord, Daddy?"

He looked back at Rachel with a big ear-to-ear smile on his face. She let go of his hands and lay back on the pillows as the first tear of many rolled down her cheek. Finn walked over and a nurse handed him a pair of surgical scissors. He looked back at Rachel, the unmistakable proud-parent look in his eyes. She smiled back as they shared their first proud parent moment together.

Rachel's heart skipped a beat when Dr. Rivera held their baby girl high enough above the sheet for her to see. She cupped her hand over her mouth as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Just cut right here," Dr. Rivera said, gesturing to the space between the two clamps. Finn reached up and cut the cord, his eyes glistening.

A nurse took their baby into her arms and walked over to Rachel, whose heart was pounding in her chest.

"Oh, my God," Rachel said under her breath.

"We have to clean her up now, but here she is," she smiled. She put the baby on Rachel's chest. Rachel reached up and stroked her daughter's cheek for a moment before the nurse had to take her away again.

Finn walked back to her side as she watched the nurses take their daughter to get cleaned up. He held Rachel's hand through the afterbirth until it was all finally over. She leaned heavily against his chest and he held her tightly in his arms.

"You did it, Rach," he whispered. She nodded wearily. "I love you so much," he murmured, kissing the top of her head.

"I love you, too," Rachel said softly. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks as she caught glimpses of her baby girl through the four nurses helping to clean her off. She was surprised at how hard it was to hear her daughter cry, even if it meant she was healthy and breathing well on her own. The urge to calm her daughter down was almost overwhelming.

"She's beautiful," Finn smiled.

"Yeah, she is," Rachel grinned, laughing a bit as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

The nurse who had been recording the entire event on Finn's FlipCam walked over and returned it to him.

"Thank you so much," he smiled.

"Of course," she nodded before leaving.

"You recorded it?" Rachel gaped at him.

"_Am_ recording it," Finn grinned, turning the FlipCam on her. She quickly pushed his arm away.

"Get her, not me," she said. "This _is_ about her, you know, Finn." He just laughed and did as she instructed.

They watched as one of the nurses picked up their daughter and turned to bring her over to them. Rachel's heart started to race.

"Here she is," the nurse smiled. "All seven pounds, four ounces, and eighteen inches of her."

Rachel reached up and carefully took her daughter into her arms. Her nervousness disappeared instantly. It felt so natural, so right.

"Hey, sweetie," she smiled, holding her baby girl against her chest. "It's ok. It's ok, sweetheart. Mommy and Daddy are right here." The baby's cries softened to small whimpers as she nestled further against Rachel's chest, close to the heartbeat and voice she'd known since the moment she could hear.

Rachel leaned in and gently kissed her daughter's forehead. She couldn't begin to describe how amazing it felt to be holding her baby girl for the first time. After spending countless hours online and reading books about birth, motherhood and the like, she was nervous about not bonding with the baby, or doing something stupid and making her cry. But it was so natural and effortless. The cradling, kissing, cuddling - it was like she'd been doing it her entire life, which was odd to Rachel because she'd never _really_ been fantastic with kids. Finn was always great with them, but she was kind of awkward. Still, the world seemed to disappear around the two of them as Rachel cradled her daughter in her arms. Her heart swelled with pure love - a new kind of love different from any she'd ever felt; she had a _daughter_ - a little baby girl who was part her and part Finn, and she couldn't imagine anything or anyone in the universe more perfect than the baby in her arms.

"Hey, kiddo," Finn beamed. He reached down to stroke his daughter's cheek, snapping Rachel out of her reverie. The baby's whimpers suddenly stopped altogether. "What are we gonna call her?" he asked softly.

"You name her," Rachel smiled.

"Are you sure?" Finn's eyes widened. Rachel swore she saw tears starting to well up in his eyes as she nodded. "Ok," he smiled as his daughter grabbed his finger. He tried to blink back the tears in his eyes, but a few trailed down his cheeks. Rachel gave him a sweet, soft smile. "Ashley Caroline," he nodded. "Ashley Caroline _Rachel_ Hudson." Rachel gaped at him a moment before fresh tears welled up in her eyes.

"Ashley Caroline Rachel Hudson, it is. I'll be back in a little while to help you feed her," the nurse smiled at them before turning to go write up the birth certificate.

"Thank you," Finn nodded.

"Ashley," Rachel beamed, playfully tapping the tip of her daughter's nose. Ashley's eyes fluttered open for the first time. "Finn, look, she's opening her-" she stopped, her mouth dropping open as Ashley looked up at her, "…eyes." Ashley's eyes were a brilliant emerald green. Rachel stared at Ashley in shock. Her daughter had Shelby's eyes.

Finn immediately shoved the FlipCam into his back pocket and anxiously watched his wife to see how she'd respond.

Rachel hesitated a moment, unsure how to respond. Ever since the last time she saw Shelby ten years prior when they were defeated at Regionals, Rachel thought of her often. From the moment she found out she was pregnant, she thought of Shelby every day. There was nothing that scared her more than turning into the woman who abandoned her. She was so afraid of hurting Ashley. Sometimes it kept her up all night. Sometimes it gave her nightmares. Sometimes she just broke down crying because she was so scared of her own daughter having to feel anything close to what she had to go through with Shelby. And there she was, quite literally staring her fears right in the face as she gazed into the same green eyes that also belonged to the woman who walked out of her life ten years earlier.

Before Rachel could say anything, Ashley wrapped her tiny hand around her finger and snuggled further against her chest. Rachel lifted Ashley's hand up and pressed a gentle kiss to her fingers. Suddenly her fears didn't matter anymore. She wasn't her mother, and she would _never_ hurt Ashley the way Shelby hurt her. Ashley didn't care who Rachel was, what she did, or what happened to her in the past; all she wanted was to be loved by her Mommy, and Rachel had plenty of love to give.

"Ashley Caroline Rachel Hudson," she smiled at her daughter, who blinked up at her sleepily, "Daddy and I will love you forever and always. No matter what, we'll always be there for you. I promise we will." Finn flashed Rachel a proud smile. "You're absolutely perfect to us, sweetheart," Rachel added, playfully tickling Ashley's tummy with her finger. "Never ever forget that."

Finn's heart swelled with pride as he watched his two girls. He kissed Rachel's forehead and nuzzled her ear affectionately.

"Happy birthday, Rach," he whispered before looking at Ashley. "And welcome to the world, Ash." Rachel smiled. "Best birthday ever?" Finn smirked at her.

"Best day of my entire life," Rachel murmured as she ran her thumb back and forth across Ashley's cheek.

"I knew you could do it, munchkin," Finn beamed.

"You want to hold your munchkin?" Rachel asked playfully.

"I'll wait 'till she goes to sleep," he grinned. Rachel looked at him quizzically. "Look at her," he nodded down at Ashley. "Look how happy she is in your arms. I don't want to mess that up."

"Oh, come here," Rachel looked at her husband pointedly and nodded for him to sit on the edge of the bed. "She'll be just as happy with you." Ashley whimpered a bit when Rachel held her up away from her chest.

"See?" Finn bit his lip.

"You're not going to break her, Finn. I promise," Rachel soothed; she knew that's what he was afraid of. He blushed a bit. "Here, hold her against your chest," she said softly as she placed Ashley in Finn's arms. Ashley let out a quiet cry in protest. "It's ok, sweetheart; it's just Daddy."

Finn tucked Ashley against his chest. She seemed even smaller now that she was in his arms. Rachel smiled proudly at him; the two of them together was truly the most incredible and beautiful thing she'd ever seen.

"Hey, munchkin," he said softly. "I'm your Daddy."

At the sound of his voice, Ashley stopped whimpering and snuggled against his chest. Finn tried his best not to cry as he smiled down at his daughter, but when he saw that her fluffy brown hair stuck up in back just like his always did, he couldn't hold it in.

"We did good," he laughed, grinning as a tear trailed down his cheek.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Finn walked out of the sliding glass door, quietly shutting it behind him.

"So?" Kurt immediately jumped up from the couch. Everyone else followed suit, coming to crowd around him.

Finn smiled.

"She's… wow," he gushed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Just incredible." He looked at his Mom, Burt, and Rachel's Dads. "Rach and the baby are doing great."

"What'd you name her?" Leroy asked excitedly.

"Ashley," Finn smiled proudly. "Ashley Caroline Rachel Hudson." Carole's hand flew to her mouth as tears streamed down her face. She threw her arms around her son. "It was Rachel's idea," he explained. When she finally let go all she could do was smile at him and wipe the tears from her eyes.

"I'm so proud of you, sweetheart," Carole said finally.

"Thanks, Mom," Finn nodded.

Burt, Leroy, and Hiram all gave him hugs and words of congratulations.

"So, is she big? Is she tiny? Details, Finn!" Kurt pressed eagerly.

"Seven pounds, four ounces, and eighteen inches long," Finn continued. "She's pretty tiny, but, man, is she cute."

"Which one of you does she look like?" Quinn smiled. "You or Rachel?"

"Exactly like her Mom. I mean, can't you tell? She already knows how to make an grand entrance just like Rachel," Finn beamed. "Except her hair sticks up like mine does, and Rachel thinks she has my nose, which she's very happy about." Everyone laughed. "Oh, and she has green eyes, too." He was more than a little hurt when everyone gasped before falling silent; it made him feel like they were already judging his perfect little baby girl.

"She sounds perfect," Blaine smiled supportively. "Can we see her?"

Finn looked at him appreciatively and nodded.

"Yeah, of course," he grinned. "Although, I wish you luck trying to get Rachel to let go of Ashley. Actually, Ashley letting go of Rachel might be the bigger problem; she loves her Mommy. They're already sort of inseparable, and it's kind of the most adorable thing _ever_."

"Hmm," Burt elbowed Finn teasingly as he opened the sliding glass door. "Someone being inseparable with Rachel. Where have I heard that before?" Finn smiled proudly. "Ashley may look exactly like her Mommy, but I have a feeling she's gonna be just like her Daddy."

Sure enough, he was right.

_**To be continued…**_

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Reviews are always greatly appreciated!**


	11. Green Eyed Girl Part II

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Glee**_** or FOX. The plot and the characters you don't recognize are mine, however.**

_**Author's Note: This is going to be a three-part chapter, guys! Sorry this took so long; I had to go to a funeral, so I couldn't finish this section until now. As always, thank you for reading. Also, if you like the story, please review. Authors love reviews, guys! It makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside! I love hearing what you guys think of the story! Anyway, here's part two of three. Enjoy!**_

**Green-Eyed Girl Part II**

**Tunnels End in Light**

"Mom!"

Rachel looked across the lobby as she walked out of the elevator to find Ashley walking into the building.

"Hey, honey," she smiled, wondering why her daughter was there in the middle of the day. "What's up? Are you ok?" She immediately pulled Ashley into her arms and hugged her tightly.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Ashley nodded against her shoulder. "I was just talking to Dr. D about something for the Cultural Arts Committee, so I figured I'd exercise my new senior privilege of leaving campus during lunch and free periods and tell you in person."

Rachel smiled at her daughter and kissed her forehead. No matter how many years her kids all been in school, she could never really get used to not seeing them; she missed them too much.

"You want to grab some lunch?" she asked softly.

"Mrs. Hudson," her new assistant, Nadine, said pointedly, "You're going to be late for your meeting."

"Oh," Ashley said, pulling away a bit. "Go to your meeting. I'll tell you later."

"No," Rachel shook her head, smiling as she looked at her daughter. "Cancel it." Ashley's eyes widened.

"I'm sorry?" Nadine gaped.

"Cancel the meeting," Rachel said, glancing back at her assistant for a moment.

"Mom, really," Ashley shrugged, "I was gonna get lunch with Lexi and Jon anyway. It's cool."

"We'll just invite them along," Rachel said simply.

"But Mrs. Hudson…" Nadine started.

"Nadine," Rachel cut her off, "Cancel the meeting. Trust me, no one's going to care. It's a Friday afternoon staff meeting. Besides, I'm the boss; I have the liberty to cancel meetings."

"I know, Mrs. Hudson. I wasn't implying that you didn't," Nadine swallowed. "I'll cancel it immediately."

"Nadine, look," Rachel said softly, "if there's one thing you should know about me, it's that my family comes first. I know that's tragically unorthodox in any professional setting, but it's what I live by. The meeting can wait." Rachel looked back at her daughter for a moment. "Spending time with my daughter can't. And, odd as it may be, this philosophy has worked for me through recording all of my albums, doing all of my plays and movies, and running this entire business." Nadine nodded in understanding. "If there's one thing you take away from this job, I hope it's the realization that your family is the most important thing in your life. Everything else is irrelevant. At the end of the day, it's not money or Grammys you go home to; it's your family."

"I'll remember that, Mrs. Hudson," Nadine smiled. "Thank you."

Rachel smiled.

"Now go take a break," she laughed. "_I_ am."

"Yes, ma'am," Nadine nodded.

"Rachel," Rachel smiled at her.

"Rachel," Nadine grinned.

"Come on, sweetheart," Rachel said softly, wrapping her arm around Ashley's shoulders as they started out of the building.

Ashley smiled to herself as she leaned against her Mom. She really did have the most amazing mom _ever_.

"I love you, baby," Rachel murmured as she kissed her daughter on the forehead.

"I love you, too," Ashley grinned.

"Text Jon and Lexi and see if they want to come," Rachel suggested.

"Actually… can we just go?" Ashley shrugged.

"Aww," Rachel smiled. "Of course, sweetheart." They both winced as the cold winter air hit them when they walked out of the front doors of the building. "Where do you want to go?" she asked.

"Food Hall?" Ashley smiled.

"Why did I even ask?" Rachel laughed. "Nothing can come between you and that brownie cupcake they have."

"You know me too well," Ashley smirked.

"No," Rachel rolled her eyes teasingly. "I only gave birth to you and raised you for the past almost-eighteen years. God, I can't believe you're almost eighteen. I remember being in labor with you like it was yesterday."

"Oh, gross, Mom!" Ashley grimaced.

"What?" Rachel shrugged. "Twenty hours is a long time to be in excruciating pain, honey."

"It's your and Dad's fault you decided to have me," Ashley mumbled.

"Oh, honey, we didn't decide anything," Rachel laughed, pulling her daughter closer.

"I was a mistake?" Ashley gasped.

"You were _not_!" Rachel exclaimed. "You were just conceived earlier than we expected. And born late, might I add." She smiled and looked into Ashley's emerald green eyes. "What can I say? You were just full of surprises from the start."

**gleegleegleeglee**

"So what was it you were going to tell me about the Cultural Arts Committee?" Rachel asked before taking another bite of her Greek salad.

"Oh," Ashley said, "Dr. D told me they found a new director for chorus. He wanted me to give you a heads up since you're the head of the committee that he wanted to have a CAC meeting so you guys would get to meet her and stuff."

"Have you met her?" Rachel asked curiously.

"No," Ashley shook her head. "They _just_ hired her. I don't even know her name. She's coming in next week to observe and talk with Dr. Mueller, but other than that I don't know anything about her."

"How's everyone taking him leaving?" Rachel asked softly.

"I mean, it's tough," Ashley shrugged. "Especially right before the concert and stuff. But we all know he had to take the job. A professional symphony – it's a great opportunity."

"He's such a phenomenal director and a great person. It's sad to see him go, but you're definitely right, it's an incredible opportunity. Have they found a replacement for his wife yet?" Rachel asked.

"Oh, yeah," Ashley nodded, remembering what else Dr. D, her music director, told her. "The same teacher who's directing chorus is gonna be our new IB English teacher."

Rachel's stomach flipped and her heart started to race. How many people in the world could be English teachers and choir directors?

"Chorus and IB English?" she asked quizzically. "That's kind of a tall order isn't it?"

"I would think so, but chorus is only one period a day and our IB class only has twenty-five kids, so there are only two English classes to teach," Ashley shrugged. "I guess they figured she could do it all. Supposedly she's been doing it for awhile now."

Rachel tried to ignore the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was too coincidental. There was no way _she_ was back – at Ashley and Chris' school no less. It wasn't possible.

"And Dr. D didn't mention her name?" she asked nonchalantly.

"Nope," Ashley shrugged. "The ensemble leaders are gonna meet her next week before the other kids do, but you'll probably know before me."

Rachel nodded, smiling as she looked at her daughter. Ashley's green eyes sparkled in the moderately dim light of the restaurant.

"I love you, baby girl," she said softly.

"I love you, too, Mom," Ashley said. "But I'm almost eighteen. I'm not a baby girl anymore."

"But you'll _always_ be my baby girl," Rachel grinned, playfully tapping the tip of Ashley's nose. "Just like Chris will always be my little man, and Mia will always be my princess."

Ashley smiled and took another bite of her flatbread pizza. Yeah, she definitely had the coolest Mom anyone could ever ask for.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Finn leaned against the doorframe to the study, watching Rachel as she sat at the computer. It was late, and he could see how exhausted she was in the dim light that washed over her face from the screen in the otherwise-dark room. She had one leg pulled up against her body on the chair, her chin resting on her knee as she watched the home movie on the screen. He had to bite back a small smile when she winced a bit every time Dr. Rivera ordered her twenty-six-year-old self to push. She seemed fine all night, but he knew she wasn't. After almost thirty years with her, he could always tell when she was acting. Something happened at the Cultural Arts Committee meeting – something that truly scared her. He could see it in the way she hugged the kids goodnight, and gave them a few extra kisses before they went upstairs. He could see it in the faint trace of guilt in her eyes when she looked at Ashley – something now etched on her face as she continued to watch the video. He could see it in her almost desperate hold on Mia as they watched a movie together after dinner while Chris and Ashley did homework. There were a lot of things Rachel was afraid of, like spiders, rats, insects, and fire anywhere it wasn't supposed to be. But she only had one real gripping fear – something that was borne out of being teased, bullied, and lonely for a long time growing up. If there was ever one thing he learned about Rachel in their near-thirty years of being together, it was that all she ever wanted was to be loved. Under the go-getter, gung-ho, star-studded, type-A personality was the most loving and caring person anyone could imagine. Beyond that was the insecurity she tried so hard to hide, and under that was her fear of abandonment. Finn made it his secret mission in life to fix what others had broken – to save her just as she saved him every single second of every day they were together. But he also knew that no matter how hard he tried, he could never really fix what _she_ did because all the love in the world couldn't erase the memory of _her_. Ashley almost did the day she was born without even knowing it, because the instantaneous bond she and her mother shared allowed Rachel to realize that she wasn't and never would be _her_. But Finn could tell by the look in Rachel's dark amber eyes that _she _was back. His heart ached for her. He hated to see her like this, so upset. He hated that horrible things so often happened to the best of people.

"When did you figure it out?" Rachel asked, snapping Finn out of his reverie.

"That you were upset? The second you walked in the door," he said softly as he walked into the room and shut the door behind him. "I figured out why when I saw the way you looked at Ash."

Rachel sighed and paused the video as he sat down beside her.

"She's the new chorus director," she said somewhat bitterly. "Oh… _and_ Ashley's English teacher."

"Did she get hired or are they still deliberating?" Finn asked.

"Hired," Rachel bit her lip.

"Maybe you can change their minds about-" he started.

"No," Rachel shook her head, finally looking up to meet his gaze for a moment before looking back at the keyboard. "Regardless of what happened between us, Shelby is actually a great teacher. It would be incredibly selfish of me to deprive the kids of a strong teacher. Plus, I refuse to be a vindictive bitch and doom Shelby's income." She drummed her fingers on the desk. "No matter how satisfying that would be…" she added bitterly.

Finn bit back an amused grin.

"But you're not mean," he pointed out. "You have too pure and too big a heart."

A small smile came and went on Rachel's face.

"I just can't believe that of _all_ the schools in the United States, she ended up here, at Chris and Ashley's school, teaching one class they're both in and two classes she's in," Rachel shook her head.

"Well it _is_ the best prep school in the country," Finn bit his lip. Rachel threw him a look. "Still, you're right. It is weird," he nodded in agreement and she turned back to the desk. "So what happened at the meeting?"

"Nothing," Rachel shrugged. "It was just like any other meeting, and then we all asked her some questions about her plans for the kids and the program." Finn looked at her as if to say, 'you know that's not what I meant'. Rachel sighed and got up to pace back and forth across the floor. "I was on autopilot. From the second I saw her I was just shocked and numb. We both were, really. When Ashley told me the teacher they hired was doing both classes I was admittedly a bit suspicious, but I never really thought it was possible. And then the next thing you know I'm staring her right in the face after twenty-eight years."

"Do you think she did it on purpose?" Finn asked quietly. "Took this job, I mean."

"No," Rachel shook her head. "By the look on her face, she had _no_ clue." She bit her lip. "I'm not really sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. On the upside, she didn't do it on purpose, and on the downside… she didn't do it on purpose."

"Meaning on the upside she didn't try to work her way back into your life through our kids, and on the downside she wasn't actually making the effort to find you," Finn cocked his head to one side. Rachel nodded.

"I mean, I don't know," she reached up to massage her forehead. "It's not like I want to reconnect with her. I was completely happy never seeing her again and just forgetting about it all. I've definitely cried enough tears over her to last me a lifetime. But at the same time, it would admittedly feel better if she were actually trying to reconnect or something than just running into me by mistake and clearly not wanting to have done so."

"Would you really have forgotten about it even if you never saw her again?" Finn asked gently. They sat in silence for a long while before Rachel shook her head. "So, maybe this is somehow a good thing. Maybe you can get the closure you deserve; you know, like you did for me with my Dad."

"I don't want closure," Rachel said edgily. "I'm not interested in her answers, her love, or forgiving her. The only thing I care about is keeping the kids away from her."

"Rach, she's their teacher," Finn pointed out.

"I know," she nodded. "But they're our kids – _my_ kids. _Me_, as in the daughter she didn't want and walked away from twice. _Me_, as in the biological daughter she screwed up beyond all repair emotionally." She looked at Finn seriously. "She'll have a professional relationship with them, but that's it. I have to protect them from her."

Finn bit back a sigh and nodded.

"Ok," he conceded. "It's your call." He looked at Rachel imploringly. "But I have to say, I really don't think she'd hurt them. She didn't leave you because she hated you, Rachel."

"I know," she nodded. "But I don't want them to know who she is or what happened between us. I don't want her making a grand entrance into their lives only to abandon them a few months later." She bit her lip. "Look, Finn, I'd never forgive myself if they ever felt anything close to what I felt when Shelby left me. The disappointment, the feeling that someone who's supposed to love you unconditionally just doesn't, the guilt of feeling like you're just not good enough…" her voice trailed off.

Finn took Rachel's hand in his and kissed her fingers. She looked at him. His gaze said everything, filled with so much love and adoration she felt tears start to well up in her eyes. He brought their hands up, matching finger to finger before pressing his palm against hers. She pressed back, smiling a bit at how his palm was almost as big as her entire hand.

"I love you, Rachel Barbra Hudson," Finn whispered.

"I love you, my everything," Rachel whispered back. She loved the way Finn's face lit up every time she called him that.

They stayed like that for a few moments before Rachel leaned in to kiss him. Finn's heart ached at the heartbroken neediness in her kisses and touch as she climbed out of her chair and onto his lap.

"Are the kids asleep?" he asked when she started to trail kisses down his neck.

"Uh huh," she mumbled, her breath hot against his skin.

"…Hold on," Finn bit his lip. Rachel pulled away and looked at him crossly. "The video… it's kind of weird to do this with that on the screen…"

Rachel rolled her eyes, smirking a bit as she slid off his lap to close the window on the screen. Finn frowned as she saved the video to a flash drive before deleting it from the computer's hard drive.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"What I was down here to do in the first place," Rachel said quietly. "Make sure no one ever sees this but us." He watched in question as she opened the door to the closet that held the printers and scanner to open the safe that held all of their important documents. Suddenly it hit him.

"This is about the green-eyed girl, isn't it?" he called after her. He heard the safe bolt shut again before Rachel headed back out of he closet.

"You know I hate it when you call her that," she mumbled.

"It doesn't still bother you after all these years, does it?" he asked quietly. "Her eye color, I mean."

"What?" Rachel's eyes widened. "No! Of course not! I'm hiding the video because I don't ever want her to see it and think that it did. If you just watched it without knowing what I was thinking, you would think I resented her."

"That's why you want to keep her away from Shelby, isn't it?" Finn guessed. "Because she's too clever not to put two and two together if she suspects anything."

"I just don't want her to open Pandora's box," Rachel said quietly. "She'd hate Shelby, and she has two classes with her. Chris would hate her too, and he'd be in the same situation. I just want to forget everything that ever happened with her for the sake of the kids. She's their teacher now and it's just better if they don't have to deal with any of this."

Finn nodded and got up to walk over to her. He took her hands in his.

"I trust your judgment," he said softly, "and I support whatever decision you make as to how you want her to interact with Ashley, Chris, and Mia. This is your call, Rachel. I just… I want you to consider that there may come a time when honesty is the best policy, even if it hurts you to have to tell the kids."

Rachel looked down at their hands and intertwined their fingers.

"I know," she nodded.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Shelby's head was still spinning as she headed to the music room the next morning to meet the students at the ensemble leader's forum. After twenty-eight years, she found herself staring her biological daughter in the face as they were introduced to one another by one of the other moms on the committee like they'd never met before. She always knew Rachel moved on; it was hard not to know, considering she was about as big of a celebrity as someone could be. Still, it was strange seeing it first hand. It seemed odd to Shelby that she was no longer the sixteen-year-old girl she met all those years ago, but instead a grown woman and a mother. Then again, she always _did_ have a problem seeing Rachel as anything more than the baby girl she gave birth to. Thinking about it almost made her heart ache. She couldn't help but wonder how Rachel was doing, what her kids were like, and whom they took after. No matter how hard she tried to stay away from the hysteria over celebrities, Shelby kept up with Rachel now and then. She knew what projects she worked on, and that she was married to Finn, the boy she dated in high school. Still, she couldn't believe she didn't know anything about Rachel's children besides the fact that she had them. To Rachel and Finn's credit, they did a great job of keeping their family out of the spotlight.

Her stomach did somersaults at the thought of meeting Rachel's kids as she opened the door to the music room. Shelby had never seen them before in her life, but she knew exactly who they were the second she saw them, a boy and a girl. She was an exact copy of Rachel, only with a slightly more demure nose, light freckles, and a lopsided grin that Shelby guessed belonged to her father. He was more Finn, only with Rachel's olive skin and bright smile.

She suddenly stopped dead in her tracks on her way into the room. Her heart pounded in her ears as Rachel's daughter looked over at her and smiled cordially. She had green eyes. And not just any green, either – _her_ green eyes.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Shelby looked up from the essay she was grading as the sound of her office door closing to find Rachel watching her from across the room.

"Rachel…" she said, her eyes wide. Honestly she was the last person Shelby expected to see that afternoon.

"We need to talk," Rachel said seriously. The last thing she wanted to do was talk to Shelby, but she needed to set boundaries before it was too late.

"Of course," Shelby nodded, getting up. She gestured at one of the chairs in front of her desk. "You want to sit down?"

"I'll stand," Rachel said shortly.

Shelby studied her for a moment – something she didn't have the wherewithal to do the night before at the meeting. Rachel looked simultaneously the exact same as and completely different than she had the last time they saw one another. She didn't really look older at all, just more mature. Instead of reindeer sweaters and knee socks, she wore black boots, tight medium-blue jeans, a beige cowl neck sweater, and a black leather jacket. Her hair looked about the same as the last time she'd seen her, though, still cascading over her shoulders in soft ringlets. But the most noticeable change by far was the look in Rachel's eyes – the overprotective mother look. It was one Shelby knew well because of Beth, and it almost hurt to have Rachel looking at _her_ like that, as if she would pose a threat to her own daughter's – _biological_ daughter's kids. She definitely couldn't blame Rachel, though; not after everything that happened between them.

"Do you mind if I do?" she asked, looking over at her chair.

"No," Rachel shook her head.

Shelby sat back down in her chair and looked at Rachel. She knew this wasn't a conversation. Rachel was there to protect her kids. Her eyes glinted defensively with a look that reminded Shelby of a mama bear ready to destroy anything that threatened her cubs.

Rachel could feel the anger of twenty-eight years bubbling up inside her as she looked at Shelby. Her heart started to pound in her ears as the realization set in that she was alone in a room with her birth mother who had walked right out of her life after knowing her all of a few days. After so many years she almost forgot just how much it hurt. But now that Shelby was back, the pain was fresh again. Every scar, every barely-healed wound was torn back open as she looked into Shelby's emerald green eyes.

"Let me make this abundantly clear," Rachel said intently, "the second you walked out of my life, you walked out of theirs, too." She put her hands on the desk and leaned closer to Shelby, her anger making her blood boil. "They are _not_ your grandchildren. The **only** relationship you will _ever_ have with them is a professional one, and that's only because I have no choice. _Over my dead body_ will I let you do to them what you did to me. You are **never** to tell them who you are, what you are to them, or what happened between us. My kids are _everything_ to me, and I **will **_**not**_ let you hurt them like you hurt me. I **will **_**not**_ let you walk into their lives only to abandon them again." Rachel fought back tears with every ounce of acting talent she had. "They don't deserve that."

She stood up and gave Shelby one last, long look before turning away and walking out of the office. Shelby swallowed hard and looked around her office uncomfortably. She watched through the window as Rachel headed down the hallway. Her heart pounded in her chest, almost perfectly in sync with Rachel's steps as she walked away. Suddenly Shelby bolted out of her chair and headed for the door. She grabbed the door handle and stopped, her hand trembling as she fought between following her heart or her better judgment.

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading, guys! Stay tuned for part three!**


	12. Green Eyed Girl Part III

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Fox or **_**Glee**_**. The plot and the characters you don't recognize are, however, mine.**_

**Author's Note: Ok, I lied. It's a four-part chapter. Sorry, guys! It was supposed to be three, but Shelby and Rachel sort of took on minds of their own and their scene was way longer than I meant it to be in the first place. Please don't kill me. Pretty please. I can't control what my mind makes me write… or how long it is, for that matter. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing, as always! Enjoy!**

**Green-Eyed Girl Part III**

_**The Devil That You Do Know is Better Than the Devil That You Don't**_

"Did you finally find out what you're doing for spring break?" Jon asked as he grabbed his hot chocolate off the counter.

"Yeah," Ashley snorted amusedly. "Nothing."

"What?" Lexi's eyes widened. "You guys _always_ go on some cool trip."

Ashley shrugged and took a sip of her coffee.

"Now that they synced our spring break with everyone else in the city, it coincides with my Dad's football camp," she explained.

"That sucks," Jon grimaced, scrunching up his nose.

"Not really," Ashley shook her head. "I mean, the camp means a lot to the kids. A lot of them look forward to it all year. It gets them out of a bad situation for a week, you know?" Jon nodded.

"You can't even escape to Montauk for a few days?" Lexi asked.

"Maybe," Ashley shrugged. "All I know is that Chris is going up to help my Dad. I think Mia's going, too."

"I so wish I could take you to Italy with me," Lexi frowned.

"It's ok," Ashley gave her an appreciative smile. "I'll be with my Mom for the week. It'll be fine."

"So, basically you'll be bringing out every chick flick you own, shopping, watching chick flicks, talking non-stop, crying over chick flicks, and just being total and complete girls," Jon smirked.

"No," Ashley glared at him teasingly. "I don't cry."

"Oh, ok," Jon rolled his eyes. "Your Mom will cry while you sit there laughing… at chick flicks."

"Exactly," Ashley grinned.

"Speaking of your Mom," Jon nodded over to a table over by the back wall. "Isn't that her and… whoa, that's totally her and Ms. Corcoran."

Ashley whipped around to see her Mom and Ms. Corcoran talking over coffee and muffins. Her stomach churned as she quickly yanked Jon and Lexi behind her to the other side of the counter so they couldn't be seen.

"Well, I take it we're not saying 'hi'," Jon quipped as he tried to regain his balance. He frowned as Ashley and Lexi looked at one another worriedly. "I feel like I'm missing something here…"

"Ashley thinks there's something going on between her Mom and Ms. Corcoran," Lexi explained quietly. Jon grimaced a bit.

"Like… _something _something?" he blinked.

Ashley and Lexi both glared at him before punching him hard and rolling their eyes. He yelped, grabbing his shoulders.

"OW!" he whispered harshly.

"Don't be so stupid!" Lexi growled.

"It was an honest question!" Jon glared at her.

"Ms. Corcoran is Ashley's teacher! _And_ Chris'!" Lexi fired back. "And, if you haven't noticed, her Mom is kind of, oh, I don't know, _married with three kids_!" Ashley rolled her eyes; she loved her best friends to no end, but they fought like an old married couple.

"Look, I think there's more to their relationship than just fundraising," Ashley explained before Jon could retort again. "Something just doesn't feel right. There's more to the story. I feel like they knew one another before Ms. Corcoran started to teach at the Prep. Chris accidentally ran into her in the hall before chorus last week and Ms. Corcoran had a Playbill from when my Mom was in _Wicked_ like nineteen years ago in the huge binder she carries around. We both think something's up. Like, look at that! Nobody smiles like that over fundraising!"

"Ok, I'll bite," Jon shrugged. "What do you want to do? A CSI-real investigation or something?"

"That's exactly what I'm gonna do," Ashley nodded, biting her lip anxiously.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Rachel slowly followed Shelby through the door to her apartment. She hooked her thumbs into her pockets and glanced around uneasily. It felt like walking into enemy territory even though she and Shelby were on better terms since the "conversation" in Shelby's office a few months prior. Part of her wondered why she didn't just turn tail and run out the door while she still could, but Shelby had invited her over after they met for coffee that afternoon, and she agreed before her better judgment could take over. She desperately tried not to see any of the pictures of Beth or Beth and Shelby together that were displayed everywhere. No matter how much Rachel tried to deny it, it hurt more than she thought it would to see them – a lot more.

"Can I get you anything?" Shelby asked softly, snapping Rachel out of her reverie.

"Huh?" Rachel blinked. "Oh, no, thank you."

"You want to sit down this time?" Shelby smirked a bit.

Rachel's ears burned under her hair as she remembered what happened in the office. She nodded awkwardly and sat down on the couch. Shelby sat down in a chair across from her and bit her lip.

"You didn't have to come if you didn't want to," she said gently. "I didn't mean to force you into it or anything. I just thought maybe we could, you know… talk."

"You didn't force me into coming here," Rachel said vaguely. She wasn't about to admit that part of her kind of actually wanted to be there.

Shelby nodded in understanding. Rachel crossed her arms over her chest as the hair stood up on the back of her neck. She felt like Shelby could see right through her and it was making her really uncomfortable.

"How's Beth?" she asked a bit coldly, looking around the room to avoid meeting Shelby's eyes.

Shelby studied her closely for a moment. She knew the only way to get Rachel to open up to her was to be open herself.

"Very well," she nodded. "She's studying abroad in Paris right now, and she graduates with her Masters in May."

Rachel nodded a bit.

"Where'd she go to college?" she asked.

Shelby bit her lip. As much as she didn't want it to be, it was awkward to talk about Beth with Rachel.

"University of Miami," she said finally. "She wants to go into real estate."

Rachel's eyes widened as she looked at Shelby. Quinn was in real estate.

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree," she quipped.

"It seems to be that way," Shelby conceded. An awkward, tense silence fell between them for a long while. "So how's Finn?" She could see Rachel's body stiffen.

"Fine," Rachel shrugged. "He really hasn't changed _all_ that much since you met him."

"One of the most successful quarterbacks of all time, on his way to being one of the most successful coaches, a married man, and father of three," Shelby said lightheartedly. "Yeah, he hasn't changed a bit."

Rachel couldn't help but laugh.

"I mean personality-wise," she continued. "He's still loveable and goofy. But you're right, everything else changed."

"With you, too," Shelby pointed out. Rachel nodded. "Famous actress and singer, media mogul, wife, and mother of three." Rachel smiled a bit. "I have to say, I always expected the acting and singing, but the business success was a fun surprise." Rachel laughed.

"I needed something to do while I was pregnant," she shrugged amusedly. "I couldn't do plays or movies, so I recorded an album and started the company."

"You know, most women would just go to the spa or take up something like baking," Shelby smirked teasingly.

"I did go to the spa," Rachel grinned. "And I already knew how to bake." She tried to ignore the feeling, but she was actually enjoying Shelby's company.

"You always were a go-getter," Shelby smiled. "How many Tonys, Grammys, Golden Globes, People's Choice Awards, SAG Awards, Emmys, and Academy Awards do you have now?"

"A few," Rachel shrugged. She was proud of her success, but it made her feel self-conscious when anyone brought up her awards.

"Three Tonys, seven Grammys, two Golden Globes, four People's Choice, one SAG, two Emmys, and one Academy Award," Shelby stated. "And that's not even counting the nominations, _and_ those are just the really big ones."

Rachel looked up at her in mild shock.

"You kept track of them all?" she blinked.

"Kept track of them?" Shelby cocked her head to one side, smiling a bit. "Rachel, I watched you win all of them." Rachel's stomach did somersaults as her head started to spin. "You didn't think I'd actually miss seeing you shine, did you?"

"I… um…" Rachel stammered. "Yeah, I kind of did."

Shelby's heart sank, but she really couldn't blame Rachel for thinking that.

"Well, I watched them all," she said softly. "And I was there when you won your first Tony. You know, before they moved it to Beacon Theatre and stopped letting the public in to the show."

Rachel fiddled with her watch uneasily. She didn't know what to think of what Shelby just told her. It took all of her willpower not to jump up off the couch and bolt out the door, but she stayed. Maybe she wanted answers more than she was willing to admit.

"You actually went…?" she asked quietly after a long while.

"Rachel, just because I wasn't physically there in your life doesn't mean I don't care about you," Shelby said gently. "I've always cared about you." She swallowed. "I've always lo-"

"Don't," Rachel shook her head, cutting Shelby off. _That_ wasn't the answer she was looking for. Shelby looked at her sadly as Rachel stood up from the couch and grabbed her purse. "I'm... I'm gonna go."

"Rachel, don't," Shelby almost pleaded, getting up.

"Look, I just… I need some time to process this, ok?" Rachel shook her head, backing away slowly. Shelby bit her lip and nodded. Rachel walked over to the door and put her hand on the knob. She shut her eyes and hesitated a moment before turning back to Shelby. "What I said to you a few months ago – I was upset, and sad, and angry, and pissed, and I… I knew… _know_ you wouldn't really do anything to hurt them, but I… I just…"

"I know," Shelby soothed.

Rachel looked around the room edgily, again feeling as if Shelby could see right through her.

"Right," she nodded awkwardly. "Well, I'm going to go."

"Rachel, wait," Shelby outstretched her hand. Rachel sighed and turned back to her. "I never wanted to hurt you. I thought I was doing right by y-"

"No," Rachel shook her head. "Stop."

"Rachel, please just listen to me," Shelby pleaded.

"No!" Rachel exclaimed. Tears started to well up in her eyes, much to her chagrin.

"Why?" Shelby asked brokenly. She reached out to take Rachel's hand in hers, but Rachel reeled backwards. "Rachel…"

"No," Rachel shook her head as a tear rolled down her cheek. She opened the door and backed away from Shelby. "You don't get to do this. You don't get to just walk back into my life after abandoning me twice. It's not fair." She roughly wiped the tear from her cheek and glared at her birth mother. "I made something of myself! I got out of Lima! I married the most amazing man anyone could ever ask for, and we have three _incredible_ kids! I have the family, the career, the fame, the money – _everything_! You don't get to be part of this! _You_ left me. You left me absolutely heartbroken and there was nothing I could do about it! All I ever wanted was a Mom, Shelby! I wanted **you**! I wanted your love!"

"You said you didn't feel anything between us, Rachel," Shelby tried. "How was I supposed to-?"

"Because you were my Mom!" Rachel exclaimed heartbrokenly. "Because you were supposed to love me no matter what! You should have known I was lying! I lied because I knew you wanted out! Did you really think I didn't want you to be my Mom? Did you really think I could dream about meeting you for sixteen years and then just forget about it? _You_ left _me_. _You_ turned your back on _me_. I wanted to be your daughter so badly. And not just your biological daughter, either – your _daughter_. But I wasn't. You made that _abundantly_ clear. To you I was nothing more than a pathetic set piece in your sick game."

"That's not true!" Shelby exclaimed incredulously. "Rachel, you've always been my daughter! For God sakes, I gave birth to you! You didn't then, but you know what that's like now. You know what that feels like – the pain _and _the love. You know what it feels like to be so in love with this little, tiny human being that you feel like your heart is just going to explode."

"You're right, I do," Rachel growled, her eyes glinting with fury. "And I would _**never**_ leave my kids like you left me! I would never give any of them up in the first place, but if I did, I would never find them only to abandon them again. My kids are _perfect_ to me. I would _never_ abandon them because they weren't the 'right' age or talented at what I wanted them to be good at."

"You think that's why I left?" Shelby gaped at Rachel. "Because you weren't _good_ enough?"

"Why the hell else would you have left?" Rachel fired back.

"Because I was scared, Rachel!" Shelby exclaimed. "I was scared of your expectations. I was afraid you'd be disappointed in me. I was afraid you'd think I was a failure, that I couldn't live up to the image you had of me."

"I didn't _have_ an image of you!" Rachel glared at her.

"Yes, you did!" Shelby nodded. "You wanted me to be affectionate and loving and sweet and everything that I wasn't ready to be."

"You should have thought of that before you came looking for me – before you put me through all of that pain!" Rachel yelled, another tear streaming down her cheek.

"Of course I should have," Shelby conceded, softening her tone. "Rachel, I should never have done what I did. I should have let you be. You would have been so much better off." She looked at Rachel imploringly. "But, honey, I can't change what I did. I can't change how much I hurt you. Believe me, I wish I could take it back every day of my life – not because I don't want to know you, but because I love you too much to see you like this. And it kills me to know I did it. I know you don't believe me, and if you don't ever forgive me or want to see me again, I accept that, but you have to know that I never meant to hurt you, Rachel. I know I really suck at showing it, but I do love you. I've always loved you, and I always will. My love for you has never changed." She stepped closer to Rachel. "Rachel, I just couldn't live up to your expectations. And none of this was ever you fault. Honey, you were perfect – you _are_ perfect. I just didn't fit in your life. You always had a great family. I thought you didn't need me. I really did. Unfortunately I couldn't see that you did. You needed me more then than you ever did as a baby. You needed a Mom, and I wish I could have been that person. I ran. I'm ashamed of it, but I ran. That's why I never came back. I knew I hurt you and I figured if I just stayed away you wouldn't have to deal with it – you could just forget everything." Shelby took Rachel's hands in hers, almost shocked when Rachel didn't pull away. "Rachel, I'm so, so sorry. I know that doesn't begin to cut it, but I am. I'm the most sorry that you thought I didn't love you. I never have and never will stop loving you." She reached up and wiped a tear from Rachel's cheek. "And I am _so_ incredibly proud of you, baby."

Rachel flashed her a small, watery smile, nervously laughing a bit. Something about Shelby's use of the nickname "baby" made her think that they weren't all that different after all. For the first time in twenty-eight years, she was ok with that.

"Really?" she asked.

Shelby cocked her head to one side and smiled.

"Why the heck else do you think I took up scrapbooking? I had to save all of your reviews and stuff," she quipped. Rachel laughed. "But really, Rachel," Shelby said softly, "I'm so, so proud of you. I always have been." She squeezed Rachel's hands in hers. "And I'm most proud of the incredible woman you've become. I couldn't have wished for you to turn out better. I mean, look at you! You're a great wife and a brilliant mom. Your kids adore you in their _teenage_ years, Rachel. Do you have any idea how **rare** that is?"

"Yeah, well, they make my job easy," Rachel smirked. "And Finn is the most amazing father, so…"

"You've changed a lot, you know," Shelby grinned.

"I grew up," Rachel shrugged. "Plus, being a mom really changes _everything_."

"Tell me about it," Shelby nodded. She regretted her words when she saw a flicker of sadness in Rachel's eyes. "Rachel, I didn't mean…"

"It's fine," Rachel shrugged, shaking her head. She offered Shelby a small smile. "You're right. What happened is in the past. We can't change it, so we should just move on." She took a deep breath and looked at Shelby. "Besides, the kids would maybe, you know, want to know the other half of my DNA as more than their teacher someday… or something like that, so…"

An ear-to-ear smile spread across Shelby's face. Rachel didn't think she'd ever seen her so happy. Not that she had a ton of experience in that department, either, but it felt oddly good to see Shelby smile like that.

"Apparently a bit of Ashley's DNA, too," Shelby smirked.

Rachel nodded and bit her lip.

"Yeah… funny story about that…" she said quietly, putting her purse back down on the floor.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"So, who do we think she is anyway?" Ashley asked as she and Chris rummaged through old files.

"An old friend of Mom's maybe?" Chris shrugged. "A former teacher or something? Why else would she have one of Mom's Playbills?"

"But if she were one of Mom's old friends, why didn't we know her already?" Ashley asked pensively. "And if she were an old teacher, why wouldn't Mom introduce us to her or something? I mean, we know Mr. and Mrs. Schuester, and even Coach Beiste." She sighed and flipped past old school pictures. "It's like she's… I don't know… hiding something…"

"Like what?" Chris asked.

"No idea," Ashley shrugged.

"Well, whatever it is, these boxes aren't doing us any good," Chris said as he stood up.

"Are you giving up already?" Ashley smirked.

"No," Chris rolled his eyes. "I'm gonna open the safe. I got the code from Dad's phone."

"What?" Ashley gaped at him. "Chris, you can't! That's completely going behind Mom and Dad's backs, not to mention infringing upon their trust in us."

"Oh, come on," Chris shook his head. "You want to know just as much as I do. And besides, we're already going behind their backs by doing this."

"We are _not._ We're just looking through old pictures. Besides, they keep the safe locked for a reason," Ashley scowled.

"Just looking at old pictures my ass. And they keep it locked so people don't break in and steal all of our important documents," Chris nodded. "They don't lock it to keep _us_ out."

"We're better off looking through old pictures anyway," Ashley tried, suddenly regretting ever mentioning that they should investigate their suspicions. "I mean, what in the world would we find in the safe? All it has in it are important life documents and financial statements."

"You never know until you try," Chris smirked, heading into the printer closet.

"Oh, God," Ashley mumbled under her breath as she followed him. She couldn't help but think that they were actually going to find something in the safe – something their parents, particularly their Mom, didn't want them to find.

Chris punched in the code and smiled at the sound of the machinery moving to pull back the many deadbolts that locked the door in place. The door popped open with a small whoosh and they both peered inside.

"Whoa! Dad's Super Bowl rings!" Chris beamed. "So this is where he keeps them!"

"Chris," Ashley growled warningly. He looked at her and nodded sheepishly, knowing when not to contend with this older sister. "We're already disobeying them enough," she said pointedly. "Don't make it worse."

"Fine," he sighed. He grabbed a file of birth certificates and medical records for Ashley and a lone flash drive for himself. "You go low tech, I go high tech."

Ashley rolled her eyes and took the file from him. They both walked back out into the study and Chris sat down in front of the computer while Ashley settled down on the couch.

"I have a really bad feeling about this," she mumbled.

"You're paranoid," Chris shook his head.

She narrowed her eyes at him before looking down at the file in her hands. There was no turning back now. Her fingers danced over the papers, flicking them back and forth as she briefly read over them.

"Oh, look," she deadpanned, bringing out Chris' birth certificate. "No wonder I'm always questioning how I'm related to you. You were adopted."

"That's not funny," Chris said as he clicked through file after file.

"No, really, it's right here," Ashley smirked, turning his birth certificate around. Chris stopped at looked at her, his eyes wide.

"Seriously?" he gaped.

"Hell no," she laughed. "Please, you look like an exact blend of Mom and Dad." He looked back at the screen uneasily. "Oh, relax. There's definitely a video of your birth on that computer if you don't believe me."

"Eww," Chris grimaced. "Seriously?"

"Yeah. You never noticed that before?" Ashley cocked her head to one side. She got up off the couch and walked over to the computer. "It's under 'videos'."

"You've actually looked for these?" Chris shuddered.

"No," Ashley rolled her eyes. "That's disgusting. I've seen the files, though." She pointed at the screen. "There. In that folder. All three of us in our shining glory."

Chris double clicked on the file. They both frowned when the window popped up.

"I thought you said all three of them were there?" he blinked.

"They… were…" Ashley scowled. "Where's mine?" Her heart started to beat faster. Chris looked up at her in question.

"Maybe it got deleted?" he shrugged.

"Who would go looking for the file, though?" Ashley bit her lip. "Search the computer."

Chris typed it in the search box and pressed enter.

"…It's on the flash drive…" he scowled. He clicked on the file. "And it was last accessed on December 5th of this year at 2:13 AM." He and Ashley looked at one another worriedly before she turned to walk back to the couch.

"December 4th was the day of the CAC meeting where Mom supposedly 'first met' Ms. Corcoran," she mumbled.

She flicked through the file until she found her birth certificate.

"Ashley, come on," Chris said softly. "You're an exact copy of Mom for the most part. You're definitely not like adopted or something."

She read over the piece of paper. He was right; she was indeed the biological daughter of Rachel Barbra Berry and Finn Christopher Hudson. Suddenly it hit her. She squeezed her eyes shut as her stomach flipped. The answer had been staring her in the face the entire time – _literally_.

"I know who she is," Ashley said quietly.

"Who?" Chris cocked his head to one side.

Ashley grabbed the file and rummaged through it until she found her Mom's birth certificate.

"Oh, God," she bit her lip, reading the line over and over again.

"What?" Chris frowned worriedly.

"She's Mom's Mom," Ashley swallowed. He looked at her questioningly. "Ms. Corcoran is Mom's biological mother."

"Do you think she knows?" Chris gaped.

"Oh, yeah," Ashley nodded. "She knows. And her hiding this from us means that they have a history, something she doesn't want us to know about."

"That still doesn't explain the video, though," Chris pointed out.

"Something tells me it does," she bit her lip, walking over to him. "Play it."

"I'm not watching that!" Chris exclaimed.

"Not _that_ part!" Ashley narrowed her eyes at him. "After that. Skip to when Mom and Dad see me for the first time."

"Why?" Chris blinked.

"Because they hid it and I want to know why," she fired back. "Both of your videos are still on the computer, but mine was deleted and then hidden in the safe on a flash drive. That doesn't sound the least little bit suspicious to you?"

Chris nodded wordlessly and played the video, quickly skipping everything up until the point where Ashley was being brought over to their Mom and Dad after being cleaned off.

It was only a minute or two before she got her answer and hit the spacebar to stop the video.

"Ash, it's… it's not like that matters anymore," Chris tried, not knowing what else to say. "That was a long time ago. You know how much she loves you."

"Yeah… yeah," Ashley nodded, trying desperately to forget about the look on her Mom's face in the video before the screen went black as her Dad shoved the FlipCam in his back pocket. "Of course. Yeah, it's irrelevant. I don't know why she hid it in the first place. And she and Ms. Corcoran seem to be in a better place now, so it's all good."

Chris nodded before pulling the flash drive from the computer, collecting the file from the couch, and locking them back in the safe. They headed out of the study together, silent until they were about to part ways at the top of the stairs.

"Chris," Ashley whispered seriously. "Mom and Dad can never know we did this. _Ever_. They hid that stuff for a reason, and it's their decision if they want to tell us any of it. And we can't act differently around Ms. Corcoran, either. Something definitely happened between her and Mom, and our loyalty is to _Mom_, not her."

"Got it," Chris nodded. "You gonna be ok?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Ashley shrugged, nodding. "Don't worry about me. We're Hudsons, remember? We're tough."

"Right," Chris smiled a bit, even more worried about her than he was before. "Well, I'm gonna go to bed. 'Night."

"Goodnight," Ashley smiled as they headed into their respective rooms.

She shut the door behind her and walked over to her bed. Sammy's tail wagged, thumping against the bed as she snuggled up to him and rested his head on his side before grabbing a picture from her bedside table. It was a picture from the day she was born. Her Mom was holding her tight in her arms, an ear-to-ear beaming smile on her face. Her Dad was sitting on the edge of the bed, her Mom leaning against him as he kissed the top of her head. It was perfect. It was her favorite picture. And now a nagging voice in the back of her mind wondered which really reflected the truth – the video or the picture? And even then, what was the truth to begin with?

**Author's Note: Again, sorry that it's four parts instead of three. Please don't kill me. Thank you so much for reading; it really means a lot to me. Reviews are always greatly appreciated. I'll get Part IV up as soon as is humanly possible for me. I promise!**


	13. Green Eyed Girl Part IV

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or Fox.**_

**Author's Note: Part IV is finally here! Sorry it took so long! On the upside, I have a cute Valentine's Day chapter already written for you! Anyway, enjoy the end of the Shelby Returns saga! It's been a wild and fun ride for me to write, so I really hope you've enjoyed reading it just as much. Thanks for reading, and please review if you feel so inclined.**

**Green-Eyed Girl Part IV**

_**If Only Her Sixteen-Year-Old Self Could See Her Now**_

Kurt looked up from the script he was reading at the sound of the doorbell ringing. He looked over at the light-brown dachshund curled up on her bed near the kitchen door in a patch of sunlight. Patti opened one eye to look at him before yawning and going back to sleep. He rolled his eyes and smirked as he got up from where he was sitting at the kitchen table.

"Some attack dog you turned out to be," he mumbled under his breath, heading into the foyer. "Who is it?" he called. It had to be a close friend or member of the family, because they had made it past the front gate without calling in first. His bets were on Rachel.

"It's me!"

"Well, hello, me," he smirked, opening the door to find his niece standing there. "How are you?"

"Hi, Uncle Kurt," Ashley laughed, giving him a hug.

"Hey, sweetheart," he said softly, kissing the top of her head. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I just wanted to see you," Ashley shrugged, pulling away to look at him. "I have my lunch break now and then a free period, and I knew you weren't on set today, so I hope it's ok if I just dropped by…"

"Yeah, yeah, of course," Kurt nodded, smiling. "Come on in, honey. I miss having kids around here. It's been too quiet since Rosie went off to college."

"How is she?" Ashley asked as she followed her Uncle into the kitchen. "I haven't talked to her since this past weekend."

"She's fine," Kurt answered. "Great, actually! She did very well on her Calculus exam, so she's happy about that."

"Awesome," Ashley grinned. She sat down on one of the bar stools at the kitchen counter. "I'm glad she's having such a great time at college, too. She sounds like she really enjoys it."

"Yeah," Kurt agreed. "I'm glad she picked Stanford, even if it is _way_ too far away. She wanted a chance of pace from the craziness and climate of the city."

"I don't blame her," Ashley laughed. "It can be kind of nuts sometimes. I mean I wouldn't trade living here for the world. But I can see how it would be nice to get away."

"Mhmm," Kurt nodded. He put a glass of water in front of his niece before leaning against the counter, looking at her knowingly. "So why are you _really_ here, Missy Ashley?"

Ashley's face fell and her ears flushed bright pink.

"Is it that obvious?" she mumbled.

"Only because you inherited your mother's expressions to a T, and I know hers all too well," he smirked a bit. "And right now you're sporting the 'there's something really bothering me and I need to consult Kurt' face. Only in your case it's the 'I need to consult _Uncle_ Kurt' face." He cocked his head to one side, noticing how Ashley bit her lip when he mentioned Rachel. "Did you and your Mom have a fight or something?"

"What? No," Ashley shook her head. "We never fight."

"I know," he conceded gently. "But this _is_ about her, isn't it?" Ashley nodded slowly. "What happened?"

Ashley bit her lip and wrapped her hands around the cup of water in front of her.

"What happened between my Mom and Ms. Corcoran?" she asked quietly. She could see a flicker of surprise in her Uncle's eyes before he blinked it away.

"You mean the new choir director?" he asked nonchalantly. "I don't really keep up with things at The Prep now that Rosie is in college. I wasn't aware there was ever an issue."

"Actually, I wasn't talking about our choir director," Ashley shrugged. "I was talking about my biological grandmother." She looked up and locked her gaze with Kurt's.

"She told you?" he gaped, clearly shocked.

"So it _is_ true?" Ashley pressed.

"What? No!" Kurt shook his head. "No, of course not. Who ever told you such a thing?"

"Well, you, just now," Ashley bit her lip. "_And_ my Mom's birth certificate. …_And_ my… well, eye color… I guess…" She saw a trace of guilt in her Uncle's eyes for a moment when she said that.

Kurt sighed and looked down at the granite countertop.

"Yeah, it's true," he mumbled quietly. "She's your Mom's birth mother." He looked back up at his niece. "Does your Mom know you know?"

"No!" Ashley exclaimed, her eyes widening. "No, and I don't want her to! I just want to know what happened."

"She really should know you found out, Ashley," Kurt said softly. "And this is something you should discuss with her. She explicitly told me not to tell you."

"Please, Uncle Kurt," Ashley almost begged. "I can't talk about this with her; not when I know how much it hurts her."

Kurt studied her for a moment, part of him wondering exactly _how_ she knew how much the subject hurt Rachel. His heart ached when he looked into Ashley's eyes, seeing just how upset she was about everything. He sighed.

"Have you tried talking to your Dad?" he asked softly. "He probably knows what happened better than I do."

"He'd tell her," Ashley said quietly.

Kurt bit his lip and looked at her.

"Are you sure you want to know?" he asked seriously. "Absolutely positive?"

"Please…" Ashley said imploringly.

"If I do, you have to promise me something," Kurt ran a hand through his hair uneasily. Ashley looked at him in question. "You can't let this color your opinion of Uncle Puck and Aunt Quinn."

"What?" Ashley asked. "What do they have to do with this?"

"Just promise me," Kurt said seriously.

"Ok, I promise," Ashley nodded.

"And you have to still treat Shelby, uh, Ms. Corcoran with respect at school," Kurt said. "No matter what your opinion of her is, she's still your teacher. And believe it or not she and your Mom _are_ actually trying to figure things out."

"I will," Ashley conceded.

Kurt swallowed and nodded.

"It all started when your grandfathers hired Shelby as a surrogate…"

**gleegleegleeglee**

"Hey, you have a minute?" Rachel asked, peering into Finn's closet to find him stuffing t-shirts in his suitcase.

"Yeah, of course," he smiled. "What's up?"

"I, um, I wanted to know what you thought about me bringing Shelby here," Rachel shrugged. "You know, while you're away with the kids."

"You think you're ready for that?" Finn asked softly. "I know you wanted to keep all of this stuff away from here so you didn't have to bring it home with you."

"I know," she nodded. "But I think I'm ok with it now. After we had that talk last week we sort of agreed to just start over and see where it takes us. I'm not completely ok with everything that happened, but I'm getting there."

Finn smiled and leaned in to give her a sweet kiss.

"I'm so proud of you," he whispered against her lips. She smiled against his and kissed him again.

"So, you're ok with it?" she asked when they finally pulled away from one another.

"Yeah," Finn nodded. "Of course. If you're ready, then that's your decision. Just remember Ashley's still gonna be here." Rachel looked up at him, nodding.

"That was the other thing," she said quietly. "I was thinking of maybe telling her while we're together this week. And then, if things go well, Chris and Mia when you guys get back."

Finn thought about it for a few moments, studying his wife closely.

"You think that's a good idea?" he asked.

"You don't?" Rachel returned, a little hurt.

"I didn't say that," Finn said softly. "I just meant that it might be a little dangerous." Rachel looked at him critically. "Rach, you know how protective of you she can be. She won't care who Shelby is or what her intentions were. All Ash is gonna care about is hating the woman who hurt her Mom. The same with Chris and Mia, really." Rachel bit her lip and nodded. He was right. "Look, I'm not saying it's a bad idea. I think you should definitely tell the kids – all of them. But just be careful, Rachel. I'm so happy that you and Shelby are starting over and moving on. I really am. I just don't know if telling the kids _now_ is such a great idea. It could be amazing, or it could be a disaster." He reached out and tipped Rachel's chin up so their eyes met. "But as I said before, I trust your judgment. You know Shelby and this entire situation better than anyone. And, quite frankly, you know our kids better than anyone. If you want to tell them, then I support you one hundred percent."

Rachel smiled at him.

"You're the most incredible husband anyone could ever ask for," she said softly.

"Only because of you," he smirked. "If I were with anyone else, I'd be a total jerk." Rachel laughed and leaned in to kiss him.

"I don't know if I'm going to tell her, anyway," she said after they broke apart. "It kind of feels like Ashley has been a little distant from me lately."

"Really? I actually kind of thought she was being unusually protective of you," Finn said as he walked in to grab his suitcase. He stopped and looked back at Rachel. "Do you think she knows?"

"What?" Rachel's eyes widened. "No. I mean, I think she would tell me." She frowned worriedly. "…Right?"

"I would think so," he shrugged, zipping up his suitcase. "Don't worry about it. She's probably just stressed about IB exams and picking colleges and stuff."

Rachel groaned. The thought of her baby girl going off to college made her want to hug Ashley and never let go.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"Mia, come on," Finn called loudly. "We have to go!"

"Coming, Daddy!" Mia called, heading into the foyer.

"You ready to go, kiddo?" Finn grinned, taking her backpack and slinging it over his shoulder.

"Yep!" she smiled.

"I don't get a hug goodbye from my princess?" Rachel gasped playfully, walking in from the kitchen.

Mia ran over and threw her arms around Rachel.

"Bye, Mommy. I love you," she said softly.

"I love you so much. See you on Friday," Rachel smiled, smoothing her daughter's dark brown hair. "You're going to have so much fun with Daddy and Chris."

"I know!" Mia giggled excitedly as her Mom kissed the top of her head.

"You too, little man," Rachel smirked at her son.

"Ma," Chris groaned a bit as he walked over to her. "I'm not little anymore."

"Doesn't matter," Rachel grinned, kissing his cheek and wrapping her arms around him. "You'll always be-"

"Your baby boy," Chris finished. "I know, Mom." He flashed her the goofy sideways Hudson grin and she reached up to smooth his messy hair. "Love you," he said quietly.

"I love you, too," Rachel smiled. "_Little man_." Chris rolled his eyes and smiled before turning to head out the door with Mia in tow.

"Bye, babe," Finn smirked, leaning in to kiss his wife.

"Have fun," Rachel grinned against his lips. "We'll be up Friday for the big game."

Finn looked over at Ashley.

"You sure you don't want to come, Ash? It'll be fun," he smiled.

"I wish," she mumbled. "Ms. Graham assigned us twenty BioZone pages in addition to four chapter study guides to complete. And that's just my Biology homework."

"That sucks," Finn grimaced.

"Thanks, Dad," Ashley deadpanned.

"Sorry," he said softly, giving her a hug and a kiss on the forehead.

"Don't worry," Rachel smiled, wrapping her arms around Ashley from behind when he pulled away. Ashley winced internally. "I'll force her to have some fun even if I have to drag her out of here."

Finn smirked and brushed the hair from his daughter's face.

"Love you, Dad," Ashley grinned a bit.

"Love you, too, kiddo," he winked before glancing up at Rachel. He gave the two of them a sweet smile and turned to head out the door.

"So…" Rachel smiled, kissing Ashley on the cheek, "it's just us now." Ashley's stomach churned. "What do you want to do? We can watch movies, go shopping, bake, or anything, really. It's up to you."

"Actually, I was just gonna go upstairs," Ashley mumbled, squirming out of her mother's arms.

Rachel looked at her questioningly.

"Are you ok, baby girl?" she asked softly, reaching out to cup Ashley's cheek in her hand. "You've been acting kind of odd lately."

"I'm just not feeling very well," Ashley lied, pulling away from her Mom. "I think I'm getting sick or something…"

"C'mere," Rachel said gently, putting her hand on Ashley's forehead. "You feel fine." It was really starting to bother her that Ashley wouldn't even look up at her. "Well, go up and get in bed, sweetheart. I'll make you some of my chicken noodle soup that you like so much."

"It's fine, really," Ashley shrugged, backing away. "Don't worry about it. I'm just gonna go sleep. Thank you, though."

"Oh, ok," Rachel bit her lip, trying to hide how hurt she was. "Call me if you need anything, then." Ashley nodded before heading up the stairs. "I love you, baby," Rachel called after her.

"Love you, too…" Ashley said before disappearing into her room.

Rachel bit her lip. Something was definitely wrong with her daughter. Maybe Finn was right. Maybe she _did_ know.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Rachel silently watched her daughter from the doorway. Ashley was turned away from the door, curled up on her side hugging Sammy. In all her years being a mom, Rachel had become an expert at caring for her kids when they were sick. She knew the coughs, the sneezes, the stuffy noses, and everything else imaginable. She knew when Chris feigned sick to get out of his math tests, and she knew when to try to make Ashley stay home from school to take a mental health day when she was so exhausted she could barely stand up straight. Rachel even knew that Mia secretly liked it when she massaged Vicks VapoRub onto her back because it put her to sleep. But the girl curled up under her covers on the bed in front of her wasn't sick. Ashley hated getting sick. She fought it with everything she had and then some. Rachel would have to practically drag her kicking and screaming back upstairs to her bed because Ashley couldn't stand being stuck in bed all day wallowing in misery. What she was now wasn't sick. What she was was something Rachel had never, ever seen her be before: depressed.

"Feeling any better?" Rachel asked softly, finally walking into the room. She saw Ashley shrug under the covers as she sat down on the edge of the bed. Ashley curled further around Sammy, her hands buried in his fur. "You taking good care of her, boy?" Rachel asked as she scratched Sammy's ear. Even he looked worried. She reached over and put her palm against Ashley's forehead. As she expected, Ashley still didn't have a fever. "What's wrong, baby?"

"I feel horrible," Ashley mumbled quietly.

Rachel sighed and lay down on the bed beside her daughter.

"Call me a paranoid mother, but I feel like this is more than just a cold," she said softly.

"…You're not paranoid…" Ashley said after a long while.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Rachel asked. Ashley shook her head. "Can I guess?"

"No!" Ashley shook her head strongly.

"Ok, ok. No guessing," Rachel soothed. "Is there anything I can do to make it better?"

Ashley buried her face in Sammy's fur and groaned inwardly. She just wanted to hug her Mom and cry and tell her everything that was going on, but she couldn't. She hated herself for avoiding her Mom, but she didn't know what else to do. She felt so ashamed of herself for things she knew were illogical and stupid – things she couldn't change no matter how hard she tried. It hurt more and more every time her Mom came upstairs to check on her or try to talk to her. Irrational as it was, she'd never felt so guilty and pathetic in her entire life. To be honest, all Ashley wanted was for her Mom to hold her and tell her that she loved her, but she couldn't bring herself to say it. Stupid as it was, she didn't feel like she deserved it.

Almost as if reading Ashley's mind, Rachel reached over to wrap her arms around her daughter, but Ashley shrugged her away.

"Please don't," she said brokenly.

Rachel propped herself up on her elbow and looked at her daughter.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" she asked worriedly. "Did I do something?"

"No!" Ashley exclaimed. She paused before continuing. "No, of course not. You-you didn't do anything…"

"Then talk to me, baby," Rachel almost pleaded. "I hate seeing you like this."

Ashley squeezed her eyes shut and wished to be anywhere but there. Of course she screwed everything up… _again_. She was upsetting her Mom _again_.

"I just can't, ok?" she swallowed. "I'm sorry."

Rachel sighed and nodded before getting up off the bed.

"I'll be downstairs if you need anything," she said softly, walking over to the door. She stopped in the doorway and looked back at her daughter. "I love you, baby girl."

Ashley groaned quietly and pulled a pillow over her head. She felt like the world's biggest jerk, but she didn't know what else to do. She couldn't even bring herself to look her Mom in the eyes. Hell, she couldn't even bring herself to look at _herself _in the mirror without feeling like a pathetic excuse for a daughter. And to think it was only Sunday; she had an entire week left of this torture.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"Do you think she knows?" Shelby asked as Rachel unlocked the front door.

"I have no idea," Rachel shook her head, pushing the door open. "On the one hand, I'd like to think that she'd tell me. But on the other, I can't figure out what else would make her this upset."

"Have you tried talking to her about it?" Shelby asked, her eyes widening as she walked through the front door. "Nice place."

"Oh," Rachel blushed. "Thanks." She started off towards the kitchen with Shelby in tow. "I did try. Well, kind of. I didn't want to state it overtly in case she didn't know and it was something else, but that didn't work." She set her purse on the counter and sighed. "She's just been so distant lately. It's completely unlike her."

"She _is_ a teenager, Rachel," Shelby pointed out gently.

"But she's not a typical teenager," Rachel explained. "She never has been, which is why this is so weird. Ashley is always so open with me. She tells me if something's bothering her, what guy she thinks is cute, or if she's stressed over an assignment." She leaned against the countertop and looked at Shelby. "Ashley comes to visit me at the office or the recording studio during her free periods sometimes to bring me a coffee and ask me how my day is going." Shelby smiled a bit. "When I held her for the first time, I never thought I would have this close of a relationship with her, but I do."

"Maybe that's the problem," Shelby shrugged. "Maybe she does know and doesn't want to talk with you about it because she's afraid it'll hurt you." Rachel bit her lip and nodded.

"But how would she have figured it out?" she frowned. "I tried to keep all of this hidden."

"I don't know," Shelby shook her head. "But I'm almost certain she at least suspects something. You should have seen the look on her face when she saw me Friday morning. You would have thought I had three heads or something."

Rachel pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned.

"Alright," she sighed. "I'll tell her tonight when she gets back from hanging out with Jon." She rummaged through her purse. "In fact, let me text her."

"Don't freak her out," Shelby said softly.

"No! I was going to ask her if she'd be home for dinner," Rachel laughed a bit. Shelby smirked. "If only I could find my phone…"

"Last I saw, it was in the-" Shelby started.

"Cup holder of the car," Rachel sighed. She looked up at Shelby. "Do you mind if I run and get it?"

"No, of course not," Shelby shook her head.

"I'll be right back," Rachel nodded. "There are a bunch of drinks in the fridge if you want anything. Tea and coffee are in the cabinet above the cappuccino maker."

Shelby smiled amusedly and nodded; of course Rachel would have a cappuccino maker. She slowly walked around the kitchen, observing every little detail. Admittedly she had been a little shocked when Rachel invited her over, but she jumped at the chance. She'd missed forty-four years of her daughter's life and she wasn't about to miss any more. It made Shelby smile that there were countless family photos framed and sitting or hanging all around the room. She regretted not being in her daughter's life, but it made her so happy that Rachel had an incredible, loving family. Shelby spent a long while getting lost in the pictures in the kitchen, almost trying to live vicariously through them to experience everything she missed over the years. She snapped out of her reverie when she heard the front door open and shut. Glancing up at the clock on the top oven, she briefly thought that Rachel made the trip rather quickly, but didn't think much of it.

"Rachel, these pictures are amazing," she called over her shoulder, picking another up off the counter of Chris and Finn throwing a football around at what seemed to be Finn's parents' house in Lima.

"What are you doing here?"

Shelby's blood ran ice cold. She put the picture down and spun around to see Ashley standing in the archway to the kitchen, glaring at her.

"A-Ashley," she stammered. "Hi."

"What are you doing here?" Ashley repeated, the hair on the back of her neck starting to stand up.

"I, uh," Shelby swallowed, "I was just talking with your Mom about some new music I was thinking of doing after the break. It's a bunch of Broadway stuff, and I figured she could help out."

"Don't lie to me," Ashley growled fiercely. She couldn't believe this was happening. This had to be some terrible, awful nightmare. "I know all about you and what you did to my Mom."

"Ashley," Shelby gaped, "just-just let me explain-"

"You don't deserve the chance," Ashley snapped.

"Watch your tone, young lady," Shelby said coolly. "I'm still your teacher."

"I don't give a damn who you are!" Ashley snarled, almost shaking with fury. "You turned your back on my Mom, hurting her beyond all repair, and you have the audacity to show up _here_?" She took another menacing step forward. "Don't you think you've caused enough damage for one lifetime? Don't you think you've hurt her enough? Don't you think you've hurt this entire family enough?" Shelby opened her mouth to respond, but Ashley didn't let her. "You _abandoned_ her! You left her when she needed you the most! And if that wasn't horrible enough already, you went and **replaced** her! You traded her in like a fricken' used car to get the next best thing because she wasn't the daughter you wanted!" Ashley squeezed her phone in her hand like a stress ball, suddenly incredibly annoyed that Shelby's eyes kept darting between her and archway to the kitchen. "And now you're back to, what, reconnect with her? To apologize for the mistakes you made all those years ago as if that could possibly erase what you did? To beg for forgiveness?" Ashley slammed her hands down on the countertop, glaring at Shelby from across the island counter. "You don't _deserve_ her forgiveness. You don't deserve to _know_ her." Tears welled up in Ashley's eyes as she continued. "She's the most incredible person _ever_, and you _hurt_ her! You turned your back on her! She didn't deserve that! All she's ever wanted is to be loved! How could you not see that? Or did you see it and abandon her anyway?" Hot tears streamed down Ashley's cheeks as she yelled, letting out everything she'd held in for the past week. "She didn't deserve what you did to her. She didn't deserve to have what was supposed to be one of the happiest moments of her life ruined because of _you_, because of what _you_ did to her. She didn't deserve to have her first kid born with your eyes just so I could remind her of every single fricken' thing you did to her! She didn't deserve to look at me and feel disappointed, or ashamed, or upset, or whatever! And-and I shouldn't have to hate myself for making her feel that way because I couldn't do anything about it, but I do!" Shelby swallowed hard, her gaze darting between Ashley and the archway as tears pricked at her eyes. "I hate myself because I feel like I disappointed her because of something I couldn't control! That's not fair! What you did to her wasn't fair! What you did to this whole family wasn't fair-"

"Ashley…"

Shelby's heart sank as all color drained from Ashley's face. Ashley was visibly shaking as she fearfully turned to see her Mom standing in the archway with tears rolling down her cheeks and the saddest expression imaginable on her face. She shook her head, trying to formulate a sentence, a word – anything. She felt incredibly nauseous, her head spinning as she started to back away from Shelby and her Mom. Suddenly she bolted out of the room, not knowing what else to do.

"Ashley! No!" Rachel exclaimed, trailing after her.

Ashley sprinted up the stairs and into her room, heaving her weight against the door and locking it as soon as her Mom made it to the door.

"Ashley! Open the door!" she pleaded. "Please, honey, open the door!"

Ashley swallowed hard and stumbled her way to the bathroom. The world around her seemed to be spinning at light speed as she locked the door and fell to her knees. She barely dragged herself to the toilet before dry heaving, gripping the rim with all her might to keep from falling over as she did it again and again. She let out a sputtering cough, finally collapsing onto the floor as cold sweat trickled down her face and neck. Her Mom was _never_ supposed to hear any of that, and she heard it all. Every single word. The only sound she could hear over her heart racing in her ears was that of Sammy barking frantically as her Mom pounded on her bedroom door.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Rachel sighed and leaned heavily against Ashley's bedroom door, slowly sliding down until she was sitting on the cold hardwood floor with her head in her hands. Her palms were icy and damp against her flushed skin, her fingers knotted in her hair. It had been just over two hours since Ashley ran upstairs and locked herself in her room. The only thing keeping Rachel from kicking down her door was that Sammy had stopped barking, which meant that Ashley was with him and at least physically ok. She reached over and turned the volume all the way up on her laptop. This was the last thing she could think of to do, short of getting Finn's drill from downstairs and taking the door off its hinges.

"Ashley, baby, I know how that home movie looks. I know it looks awful, honey," Rachel turned, leaning the side of her head against the door as she raised her voice so Ashley could hear her through the dense wood. "I know what it seemed like, but it wasn't that way. I swear, sweetheart. It wasn't about you." She swallowed hard. "Can you please open the door, Ashley? Please?" Not surprisingly, no answer met her words. Rachel put two fingers on the spacebar and let out a heavy sigh. "There's a whole other part to the video – something I doubt you listened to. There's no video of it because Dad put the FlipCam in his back pocket, but you can still hear the audio." She hesitated, looking up at the ceiling. "I know you don't want to talk to me, but please just listen to this, baby." She hit the spacebar, another soft "please" falling from her lips before the rest of the video started to play.

_"Ashley Caroline Rachel Hudson," Rachel said softly, "Daddy and I will love you forever and always. No matter what, we'll always be there for you. I promise we will." She paused a moment before continuing. "You're absolutely perfect to us, sweetheart."_ Rachel felt hot tears slide down her cheeks, squeezing her eyes shut as she remembered how it felt to hold her now-eighteen-year-old daughter in her arms for the first time. Her stomach clenched at the sound of Ashley squirming as her twenty-six-year-old self tickled her playfully. _"Never ever forget that."_

_ "Happy birthday, Rach," Finn whispered. "And welcome to the world, Ash." He paused a moment. "Best birthday ever?"_

_ "Best day of my entire life," Rachel murmured, sounding completely lost in the moment._

Rachel pressed the spacebar again to stop the video. She waited, the silence so loud in her ears she could barely stand it anymore. Suddenly she heard a small click from the knob above her head. She jumped up, pushing her computer aside. Relief flooded over her for a moment before sadness and guilt made her heart ache again. She knew running in and throwing her arms around her daughter wouldn't get her anywhere no matter how badly she wanted to do it, so she calmly turned the knob and headed into the room.

Ashley felt like she was going to rip apart from the inside out as her Mom walked into the room. One part of her wanted nothing more than to talk about everything with her Mom. She wanted her Mom to hold her and rock her and reassure her that everything was ok, that the world was ok again. She wanted the universe to melt away around the two of them like it used to when they did stuff together. But at the same time she wanted to run. She wanted to bolt out the door and never come back. She wanted all the pain she caused to just disappear. She just wanted her Mom to be happy.

Rachel stopped for a moment when she saw Ashley sitting on the floor. Her knees were pulled up close to her body, her face buried in her arms, which were crossed atop her knees as she leaned up against the side of her bed. Her ears were bright red and the rest of her skin was extremely pale. Sammy looked up at Rachel, clearly beside himself. She gave him an empathetic look. Neither one of them had ever seen her like this before. Rachel realized she hadn't seen Ashley cry in years, which made her heart ache all the more. She quietly shut the door before walking over and sitting down next to Ashley, careful to give her enough space.

"I'm so sorry, Mom," Ashley sniffled, roughly passing a hand over her eyes to wipe away her tears.

"Oh, Ashley, no," Rachel shook her head as she reached out to rub her daughter's back. "You have _nothing_ to be sorry for." Ashley shrugged her hand away.

"How can you say that?" Ashley asked edgily, almost angrily. "How can _you_ of all people say that?"

Rachel frowned. Her heart ached. She knew exactly what Ashley meant by _her_ of all people.

"Because _I_ of all people am your Mom," she said softly. "And that makes me the luckiest person on the planet because you're everything I could have ever, _ever_ dreamed of in a daughter and so much more."

"That's not true," Ashley said defeatedly.

"Yes, it is," Rachel said, unable to hide the heartbreak in her voice. Ashley just turned her head and rested her chin on her knee. Rachel sighed and pushed her hair out of her face. "You know, I hid that movie because I thought that if you found it, you'd think I didn't love you or resented you or something horrible like that." She reached over and tucked a few strands of Ashley's soft brown hair behind her ear. "But this is so much worse because you're blaming yourself for something no one had any control over. You're blaming yourself for something I would never, ever change about you, something I love _so much_ about you." She moved so she was kneeling in front of her daughter. Ashley had never felt so uncomfortable around her Mom in her entire life as she tried desperately not to have to look her in the eyes. Rachel reached out and pushed the hair from her daughter's eyes before cupping Ashley's face in her hands. She wanted to cry when she felt Ashley trembling. "Look at me."

"No," Ashley swallowed, fresh tears starting to well up in her eyes.

"Why?" Rachel asked, frowning.

"I just can't, ok?" Ashley exclaimed, shaking as her Mom wiped the tears from her cheeks. Rachel lowered her hands to her thighs. She felt sick. Never in her wildest dreams did she think this would actually happen.

"Ashley, that movie doesn't mean anything," she desperately tried to explain. "When I found out I was pregnant with you I was shocked and-and _so_ incredibly excited. But I was scared, too. I was scared that I would be a terrible mother because I didn't have one growing up. I was terrified I would do something to hurt you or make you cry or make you hate me. I had no idea what I was doing, and I was so worried about being able to bond with you. I was scared I wouldn't know how to love you. Every single day I thought about Shelby and how she was, in my mind, a terrible mother to me. I psyched myself out. I convinced myself it was genetic – that I would be just as big of a screw up as I thought she was. I knew how that felt and I was absolutely terrified of doing that to you." Hot tears welled up in her eyes as she continued. "Ashley, that stupid video doesn't mean a single thing. My reaction wasn't to you. I mean, ok, yes, obviously your eye color reminded me of Shelby, but only so far as it made me face _my own_ insecurities. It had nothing to do-"

"But it shouldn't have had to happen!" Ashley exclaimed heartbrokenly. "You shouldn't have had to face that! You shouldn't have been abandoned in the first place! You didn't deserve it! And you didn't deserve for me to go and bring it all up again!"

"Sweetheart, it's not about deserving it," Rachel explained sagely, her voice smooth and soft. "What happened, happened. People make mistakes. And you also can't change the chromosomes you inherited from me – nor would I ever want you to."

"But it shouldn't have happened to _you_!" Ashley cried. "N-None of this should have ever happened to _you_." She chewed on her bottom lip, playing with her fingers like she did when she was nervous as tears rolled over her cheeks. She started to hiccup and stutter like she always did when she cried. "You know, you're-you're like the best person ever, and-and-and I know you're not perfect b-because nobody is, but you are to-to me because I-I look up to you like you look up to Barbra Streisand or-or Patti LuPone or any of your heroes, b-because you _are_ my hero. And n-not because you're famous or superhumanly talented or any of that, b-but because you're always t-there when we need you, and-and you make everyone feel so loved and wanted all the t-time, and a m-million other reasons I-I c-can't remember right n-now. A-and it just_ sucks_ when people pick on you because I hate seeing that happen to you. And I-I hate those stories you and Dad always tell of when you were in high school and p-people threw those icy things at you because I really just want to go back in time and punch the c-crap out of them and tell them that nobody messes with my Mom – _nobody_. And I know violence is never the answer, but still… I-I do. I hate the fact that you knew what you wanted in life and almost everyone was unsupportive, because you didn't d-deserve that. And I hate _her_ for what she did to you! I hate the fact that she left you and replaced you with another kid as if you weren't good enough. And I know it's stupid and irrational and something I couldn't change even if I wanted to, but what I hate the most is feeling like I had some part in it all." Ashley shrugged, playing with the excess string of the red and yellow rope bracelet tied around her wrist. Her hands were trembling so badly she could barely even hold onto the cord. "I just really hate the thought of hurting you or doing anything t-to make you mad or sad because all I really ever wanted to do was to-to make you proud, and… and-"

"Sweetheart," Rachel murmured, wiping the tears from Ashley's face before cupping her daughter's cheek in her hand, "what ever made you think that I wasn't?" Ashley gave her a small shrug as her body started to shake with sobs. "Oh, oh, oh. C'mere," Rachel whispered, reaching under Ashley's knees and behind her back before easily lifting her up onto the bed. She lay down and pulled Ashley close, wrapping her arms securely around her now-sobbing daughter. Ashley nestled against her almost instinctively, resting her head on her Mom's chest and wrapping one arm around her. Rachel leaned her head against her daughter's, her cheek resting against the top of Ashley's head.

"I'm s-sorry, Mommy," Ashley whimpered heartbrokenly. Rachel tried desperately to stop the tears that were already trickling down her cheeks. Ashley hadn't really called her Mommy in years; that meant it was very bad.

"Oh, baby, no," Rachel shook her head. "No, no, no, no, no. You have absolutely _nothing_ to be sorry for, ok? _Nothing_." She kissed the top of her daughter's head and beginning to soothingly rub circles on her back. Her mind was still reeling as she tried to process everything Ashley said. She wanted to smile and cry all at once. She was her daughter's hero. Sure, she'd always kind of known that, but it was an indescribable feeling to know it to be true. At the same time, it was heartbreaking because Ashley was so upset over things that were far out of her control because of it. Rachel took in a deep breath before letting out a quiet sigh. She didn't even know where to begin. "Sweetheart, none of this is your fault _at all_. You couldn't control any of this."

"I know," Ashley nodded. "And I know everyone gets teased or bullied because people are always going to be ignorant and do things like that, but you were bullied so much when you were young. What _she_ did would be unforgivable with anyone, but considering everything else you had to deal with, it's just so, _so_ much worse. And I know this is, like, completely ridiculous because it's so _irrational_, and I was trying to ignore it, but then every time I saw you all I could think of that stupid video and-and how you must have felt." She squeezed her eyes shut and hugged her Mom tighter. "And then it all just m-made me think of l-losing you, or-or not growing up with you around, and-and-and combined with everything else, I j-just… I… I…"

"Oh, honey," Rachel swallowed as she sat up, carefully lifting Ashley up with her. She pulled away just enough to cup Ashley's face in her hands. "Look at me." Ashley sheepishly looked up at her for a moment before looking away again. "Hey, hey, hey. Look at me, Ashley." Ashley hesitated a moment before raising her eyes to meet her mother's. Rachel swept the hair from her daughter's face and looked intently into her dark green eyes. "I'm not going _anywhere_, ok?" she said seriously, but soothingly. "I'm right here. I'll always be right here." She reached down and took one of Ashley's hands and placed it over her heart. "And I'll be _here_ always and forever as long as you live." Rachel brushed her thumb back and forth over Ashley's cheek and kissed her on the forehead. "Sweetheart, it's not stupid," she soothed. "And it's not irrational. I should have told you a long time ago."

Ashley shook her head.

"It's your business," she said quietly. "Chris and I shouldn't have gone looking to begin with."

"Chris knows, too?" Rachel's eyes widened.

"…Kind of…" Ashley mumbled. "He knows who she is, not what she did."

"How did you find out?" Rachel asked softly.

Ashley looked at her uneasily.

"Promise you won't be mad?" she asked timidly.

"Of course," Rachel nodded.

"I begged Uncle Kurt to tell me," Ashley bit her lip.

"This is why I should have told you; you had the right to know," Rachel said gently. "I just wish I had been the one to tell you."

"I know, I know," Ashley hung her head. "And I know I can talk to you about anything, and I always did before, but… I-I just… I couldn't hurt you like that."

"Funny thing about being a parent," Rachel said as she put her hand under Ashley's chin and tilted her head up so their eyes met, "it hurts a million times worse to see your kids in pain than it does to be in pain yourself." She paused and brushed the hair from Ashley's face. "And I'll tell you something else; if all of those things didn't happen to me, I wouldn't be who I am today. I was actually a lot different back then. Uncle Kurt and Dad could tell you stories, I'm sure," she said as a smile came and went on her face. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I'll be the first one to admit that being bullied is horrible. It's ignorant and hurtful at best. And what Shelby did? We talked about it, and we're in a much better place now, but I'll probably never fully get over it. But none of that matters anymore. You know why?" Ashley shook her head. Rachel smiled and playfully tapped the tip of her daughter's nose. "Because I have you." Ashley bit back a smile. "Because I have you, and Chris, and Mia, and Dad, and Nana, and Pop-Pop, and Grandpa, and Granddad, and Uncle Kurt, and Uncle Blaine, and Aunt Quinn, and Uncle Puck, and Aunt Santana, and Aunt Brit-"

"Ok, ok, ok, I get it," Ashley laughed.

"C'mere," Rachel murmured, wrapping her arms tightly around her daughter. "The first time I held you in my arms…" she swallowed, shaking her head as her eyes welled up with tears. "There aren't words to describe how life changing and incredible it was." She grabbed the picture off of Ashley's bedside table and studied it for a few moments before kissing her daughter on the forehead. "You were this tiny, beautiful, adorable little baby girl who was kind of part your Dad, and part me. It was so amazing to finally see you, who I'd been carrying, and singing to, and falling in love with, and just wanting _so_ badly. And suddenly you were there, in my arms." She hugged her daughter tighter. "And I was so scared that I was going to fail you somehow – that I was going to be the worst mother to this incredible little baby girl. I felt so unprepared. The closest person to a mom I had growing up was Nana, and she only entered my life when I started dating Dad in high school. So when your eye color turned out to be Shelby's, it freaked me out because I had to face the fact that I was terrified of turning into the person I thought she was." Rachel cupped Ashley's cheek in her hand and looked into her eyes, her own glistening with tears as she smiled. "But you showed me that I had nothing to be afraid of."

"Me?" Ashley blinked. "But I was like a few minutes old."

"Exactly," Rachel grinned. "You didn't care who I was, what I did, how many Broadway performances I'd ever been in, or that I didn't have a mom to model myself after growing up. All you wanted was to be loved and cared for. You didn't care that I had no clue what I was doing. You just nestled into my arms and wrapped your little hand around my finger, and it just kind of hit me – I was your _Mom_. And, yes, I would make tons of mistakes, but that's just what parenting is. There's no script when you have a baby. It's total improv. You taught me that, because you needed me and loved me and didn't care that I wasn't perfect. Actually, you really mellowed me out in general. I stopped taking things so seriously and learned to treasure every second – especially because you little munchkins grow up so fast." Rachel playfully narrowed her eyes at her daughter. "I still can't believe you're a legal adult now."

"Yeah… but I'll always be your baby girl," Ashley smiled a bit.

Rachel gave her daughter a teary smile and kissed her on the forehead.

"I love you more than you'll ever know," she murmured. "I always have and always will."

"I know," Ashley smiled. "I love you, too, Mom."

Rachel hugged Ashley close and kissed the top of her head.

"And I am _so_ incredibly proud of you, Ashley. You're _so_ intelligent, and talented, and absolutely beautiful inside and out. Never ever forget that, baby," she said softly, but seriously. "You have no idea how proud I am to be your Mom." Ashley hugged her Mom tighter.

"You're gonna make me cry again…" she mumbled into her Mom's shoulder.

Rachel smiled and leaned back against the pillows, pulling Ashley down with her. She rubbed small circles on her back and kissed the top of her head.

"Ok, ok. I won't make you cry any more, I promise. How about a story instead?" she said softly. Ashley nodded. "Did I ever tell you about the time you saved the Super Bowl?"

**gleegleegleeglee**

Rachel smiled as she watched Shelby and her kids laughing in the family room as they talked about everything from school to Sammy. They had all just come back from Finn's football camp and she set the record straight with Chris and told Mia about Shelby that morning before inviting her over for dinner. Thankfully things were going very well; even Ashley was quickly coming around. She felt Finn wrap his arms around her from behind.

"I'm so proud of you," he whispered.

She leaned against him.

"You knew this was going to happen the entire time, didn't you?" she smirked. "You knew I was going to work things out with her."

Finn smiled against her shoulder.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" he said amusedly.

An ear-to-ear smile spread across Rachel's face as he nuzzled her ear affectionately and kissed her on the cheek.

"I love you so much," she said softly.

"I love you more than anything, and so do the kids, and your Dads, and my Mom, and Burt, and all of our friends," Finn smiled, "and _especially_ your Mom."

Rachel beamed as tears welled up in her eyes. If only her sixteen-year-old self could see her now.

**Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed the end of the Shelby Returns saga! Reviews are always appreciated! Thanks for reading!**


	14. First Valentine's Day

_**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Glee**_** or **_**Fox**_**.**_

**Author's Note: Happy Valentine's Day! Here's a fluffy little Valentine's Day one-shot from the Finchel high school years. Enjoy! Reviews are always greatly appreciated!**

**First Valentine's Day - **

_**Promise Ring**_

Finn grabbed another box of Kleenex from the cabinet under Rachel's sink and pulled the cardboard cover piece away from the opening before placing it next to the almost-empty one on the side of her bed. He checked the humidifier again to make sure it had the right amount of the liquid Vicks stuff that reminded him of what his Mom used to rub on his back when he was sick as a little kid. Ok, so maybe she still did it, but no one would ever know that. Except Rachel, that is. And even then she only knew because she asked his Mom, who, of course, told her _everything_ about what made him feel better when he was sick. But Rachel was the one who was sick for a change, and he made it his duty to take care of her. He glanced over at her, a tiny lump under a top sheet, three blankets, her comforter, and his comforter that he brought from his house that afternoon after noticing she was still shivering when he visited her before school in the morning. A gentle smile spread across Finn's face. Even with messy hair, a stuffy, runny red nose, sneeze attacks, a deep cough, and miserable as can be, she was the most beautiful, incredible person imaginable in his eyes. After one last glance around the room to make sure she had enough cough drops, tissues, and water, he knelt down at the side of her bed. He reached up and gently brushed the hair from Rachel's face, frowning for a moment because she was still a bit feverish.

"I love you, Rachel," Finn whispered, kissing her forehead. "More than anything," he added, tucking the blankets in around her. He brushed his thumb over the back of her hand. "I'll come by tomorrow morning before school to check up on you."

He kissed her cheek before grabbing the empty cup of tea on her bedside table and quietly heading out of the room and down the stairs.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"How is she?" Leroy asked softly as Finn walked into the kitchen. Finn's stomach flipped at the sound of Rachel's Dad's voice.

"She seems a little better," Finn sighed, squeezing a few drops of dish soap into the cup and rinsing it out in the sink. "She still has a fever, but I think the antibiotics are kicking in. Her fever is almost gone." Hiram and Leroy smiled at one another for a moment. "Do you think she'd want me to make her some more tea?" Finn asked, turning to them.

"I think she'd want you to get some rest. You've been watching over her all afternoon and evening. Especially with your plan for Valentine's Day tomorrow," Hiram smiled gently, taking the cup from Finn's hands and setting it on the drying rack. "I promise we'll take good care of her until you come by before school tomorrow morning."

Finn blushed a bit, smiling sheepishly.

"Sorry," he said quietly. "I just want her to be ok."

"We know," Leroy smiled. "And it's very honorable of you to take care of her."

"I love her," Finn said, looking between Leroy and Hiram. His heart started to race when he realized that it was the first time he'd ever said that to them directly. Their eyes widened a bit as they looked at one another and then back at him. "The honor isn't in taking care of Rachel, but in being loved by her and her allowing me love her in return." Finn had no idea where that came from, only that it was the truth. His stomach churned. It was then or never. "Sirs," he said calmly, "I want to give Rachel a promise ring."

Leroy and Hiram looked at one another for a few moments before Leroy pulled out a chair and tapped the back, motioning for Finn to sit.

"Sit down, son," he said evenly.

Finn nodded and did as he was told. Leroy sat across from him at the table and Hiram leaned against the counter on the other side of the kitchen, watching Finn closely. They were silent for what felt like an eternity until Leroy folded his hands on the table and spoke.

"You do realize what a promise ring is, right, son?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," Finn said unwaveringly. "It's a promise to be faithful to Rachel and our relationship – to be true to her and only her for the rest of my life, and always be there for her through anything and everything."

"It's a pre-engagement ring," Hiram said seriously.

"Literally speaking, yes," Finn conceded. "Which is why I'm asking your permission. I know your daughter is everything to the both of you."

"That she is," Hiram nodded.

"With all due respect, sirs," Finn looked at them both unwaveringly, "Rachel is everything to me, too."

"Finn," Leroy sighed, "that's all very sweet, but you're eighteen years old. I think you have honest, loving intentions, but the rest of your life is a very long time. You and Rachel have everything in the world ahead of the both of you."

"I know, sir," Finn nodded. "which is why it's a promise ring." He put his hands on the table, flattening his palms on the cool wooden surface. "The last thing I would ever want to do is hold Rachel back. I know I haven't been in her life for a very long time, but I really do love her and want her to achieve every single one of her dreams. If she'll let me, I want to help her achieve all of her dreams." He paused a moment, looking between Rachel's fathers. "This ring is not meant to tie her down in any way. It's a symbol of my commitment to her – of the fact that she will always have my heart. I fully understand that we're young adults and that we'll meet many more people in our lives, which is why it's a promise ring. If Rachel finds someone else who makes her happier than I do, then I'll let her go without question because I love her and I just want to see her happy. And if not," Finn paused, meeting first Leroy's and then Hiram's eyes before continuing, "I intend to marry your daughter one day when we're older and ready, if she'll have me."

Leroy and Hiram were both silent for a long while as they mulled over what Finn had just said. Finn's heart was pounding in his chest, but he desperately tried to seem calm. On the upside, they hadn't yet thrown him out or banned him from ever seeing Rachel again. He needed Rachel's fathers to see that he was completely serious about his intentions, and that he truly loved her in the most adult, mature sense of the word regardless of the fact that they were only eighteen.

"Tell me something, Finn," Hiram said finally, looking at the boy sitting across the table from his husband. "Your respect for Rachel and her dreams is admirable, but why are you so certain that your heart will always belong to her?"

Finn's heart skipped a beat. He swallowed and ran his thumb back and forth over a small patch of the table as his mind wandered back to his first days in glee club – his first days getting to know the girl who quickly became the love of his life.

"Rachel was different," he said softly. "She's always been different from everyone. She wasn't like any of the other girls. She was kind and sweet and so intelligent…" he looked down at the table and bit his lip, "and when she looked at me, she saw more than just a-a dumb football jock." Finn paused, shrugging a bit as he tried to organize his racing thoughts into words. "Before Rachel I-I guess I'd just resigned myself to being a nobody for the rest of my life. I tried not to think about the future because I knew it was just a downward spiral from high school." He looked up at Hiram, swallowing the lump that was quickly building in his throat. "But Rachel, she-she just saw right through all of that. She knew me better than I knew myself. She saw the hopes, the fears, the yearning to make my life mean something - _everything_. And-and she was so strong, too. People would knock her down and she'd just get right back up and try harder. I knew she was hurting, but she stayed so strong for all of us. She was then and always will be the glue holding us together. You know, she tells me I'm a leader all the time, but she's the whole reason for it. She's always been the reason for it. I am who I am today because she gave me the courage to start believing in myself." Finn stopped, momentarily shocked at the feeling of a tear trickling down his cheek. He looked between Hiram and Leroy and took a deep breath before continuing. "I-I can't tell you why I'm so certain that my heart will always belong to Rachel. I can't tell you that just like I can't explain why I'm so in love with her. I don't think it's something I can ever explain, or even understand. A-All I can tell you is that she's the first thing I think of in the morning, and the last at night. When I see her, I feel so incredibly happy inside. I just, I feel so much love for her. I just want to hug her and hold her and see her smile and hear her laugh and be with her all the time. And it's not just puppy love because I've been through that, and I know it sounds like it, but it's not. I-I can't prove to you that I'm in love with your daughter because there's no way to mathematically calculate it, but I know that I am. I know that I'll never stop wanting to see her smile and hear about her day. I know that I'll never stop wanting to protect her from everything even though she's perfectly capable of doing that herself. I-I know that I'll never stop being completely and totally mesmerized by how incredibly amazing she is at absolutely everything. Heck, I even know that I'll never get tired of watching _Funny Girl_ because it means I get to hear her laugh and talk about how she wants to be a 'Sadie, Sadie, Married Lady' one day, except not to a Nick Arnstein type because he ends up just pulling Fanny down." Finn swallowed and looked at Rachel's fathers imploringly. "Rachel and I have been torn apart in every way imaginable and we've stayed together. We loved one another through it all. And I know we're only in high school, but I can't imagine another day without her. I used to avoid thinking of what came after high school at all costs until I met Rachel. Now I can't wait to see what lies ahead because I have real dreams and someone I love to share them with. I can't wait to bring Rachel flowers backstage after her first performance at Tisch, and to win a football game and point up into the stands and let the entire world know that I'm the luckiest guy on the planet because I get to love Rachel Berry. Honestly, I can try but I'll never be able to list all the reasons why my heart will be hers forever. The very best I can do is give you my word that my heart will _always_ belong to your daughter. It's been hers since the moment I met her."

Leroy and Hiram both studied the man sitting at the table in front of them for a long while.

"Dad? Daddy?"

Finn, Leroy, and Hiram all whipped around to see Rachel walking into the kitchen. She was wearing one of Finn's old McKinley High Football hoodies, his sweatpants, and had the Columbia Lions stuffed lion he gave her two weeks prior held tightly against her chest.

"Finn?" she blinked, sniffling. "Baby, what you still doing here?"

"I was checking to see how you were doing, and I was going to make you some more tea but I started talking with your Dads," Finn said softly. "How are you feeling?" He reached up and pushed her bangs back, pressing his palm to her forehead. "You still feel kind of hot." He let his arm fall back to his side. Rachel reached out and took his hand in hers, rubbing her thumb back and forth over his knuckles. A gentle smile played at her lips.

"You came back after dinner to check on me?" she asked. He blinked, completely mesmerized by the way her amber eyes sparkled in the bright light of the kitchen.

"No, I, uh, I never left," he shrugged.

Rachel frowned and squeezed his hand.

"You didn't eat or anything?" she said worriedly.

"Rach, it's fine," he soothed. "I asked my Mom to save me some dinner, and I finished my homework earlier. I was just about to leave anyway." He gave her a sweet smile. "Don't worry about me, ok? I just want to see you get better."

"Sweetheart, did you need something?" Leroy interjected.

"Oh," Rachel sniffled. "Um, I was just wondering if we had any soup or something."

"My Mom made you some vegetable soup, actually, if you care for some," Finn offered. He turned to look at Rachel's Dads. "If you don't mind me staying for a little while longer, that is. I can go if you want me to. I don't want to intrude."

Hiram studied him for a moment before giving Finn a gentle smile.

"Of course you can stay," he said softly. "We'll be upstairs if you need us." He kissed Rachel on the forehead before starting out of the kitchen.

"Don't let go of this one," Leroy winked at his daughter playfully, gesturing at Finn. "I think he's a keeper." He kissed her on the cheek and walked out of the kitchen behind his husband. Finn's ears flushed bright red when Rachel grinned at him.

"Oh, Finn," Hiram called from where he was halfway up the stairs. Finn swallowed, his heart pounding as he looked over at him. "Yes."

Finn's jaw dropped open slightly before a beaming ear-to-ear smile spread across his face. He looked at Rachel, who was eyeing him curiously.

"What was that?" she said before sneezing.

"Bless you," Finn said softly, grabbing the tissue box from the counter and handing it to her. "And nothing, really. We were talking about the future – your performances at Tisch and football games and stuff." He pulled out a chair and gestured for her to sit at the table. "Here," he said, kissing the top of her head before starting over to the fridge. "Let me get you that soup."

"Finn," Rachel stopped him, pulling him back. She stood up and wrapped her arms tightly around him. "Thank you for taking such good care of me." He smiled and looked at her, bringing his hand up to cup her cheek.

"In sickness and in health, Rach," he grinned.

Her heart skipped a beat as she smiled up at him.

"I think Daddy was right," Rachel teased. "You might just be a keeper." She pressed a kiss into his soft cotton T-shirt, just over his heart. She wanted to give him a real kiss, but she didn't want to get him sick. "I love you with all my heart, Finn."

He smiled and brushed his thumb over her cheek.

"You _are_ my heart, Rach," he said softly.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Rachel yawned, sleepily pushing her hair away from her face as she opened her eyes. She immediately let out a small gasp and jolted upright to look around her room.

"Oh… my God," she blinked. "…Finn…"

Her entire room was covered in Valentine's Day decorations. Four bunches of twenty red heart and "I love you" balloons sat in each corner of her room. Shimmering pink, red, and silver swirling decorations were hung all over the ceiling, and sheets of small red glimmering hearts made curtains on all sides of her four-poster bed. Rachel almost jumped when she saw the massive plush bear with stars on its paws sitting on the other side of her bed, a bouquet of red roses leaned against one paw and what looked to be a homemade card from Finn by its foot. On her bedside table was a plate of vegan scones and muffins from her favorite bakery next to a travel mug filled with her favorite tea. Behind that was a vase filled with lavender roses in full bloom. Red and pink hearts adorned the light yellow walls all around the room, each with a picture of her with Finn alone or with him and everyone from glee in the center. To top it all off, sitting on her desk was a big "get well soon" card signed by all of her friends.

A tear trickled down Rachel's cheek as she took another look around the room. She reached out and grabbed the card before wiping the tears from her eyes. Her heart skipped a beat when she opened it to see a picture of she and Finn that his Mom must have taken at Christmas; it was of her watching Kurt open a gift, and Finn watching her with the most mesmerized, love-struck expression imaginable on his face.

'_Morning Rach!_

_ Happy Valentine's Day, babe! I hope you're feeling better. I didn't want to wake you up when I stopped by before school, but I'll be over to see you right after. Call me when you wake up!_

_With tons and tons and tons and tons of love,_

_Your Finny-bear_

_P.S._

_I have a surprise for you later. ;)_

Rachel immediately grabbed her phone and called Finn. He picked up on the first ring.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Finn said sweetly.

"Hi, Finny-bear," Rachel said tearily, smiling as she wiped her eyes on the back of her sleeve.

"Rachel, are you crying?" Finn asked worriedly.

"Of course I'm crying!" she laughed. "This is the most amazing thing anyone has ever done for me!"

Finn breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh," he grinned. "As long as they're happy tears."

"I don't even know what to say," Rachel shook her head, leaning against the teddy bear. "You're just so sweet, and incredible, and amazing, and _so_ romantic."

Finn smiled a bit.

"Only for you, babe," he smirked.

"I love you so much, Finn," Rachel said softly. "_So_, so much."

"I love you, too, Rach," Finn smiled. "More than anything." Suddenly she heard the bell ring for class. "Damn. I have to go to class. I'll come by right after glee club, ok?"

"Ok," Rachel nodded. "Bye, baby."

"Love ya, Rach," Finn smiled before hanging up.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Finn looked over at his sleeping girlfriend when he felt her tighten her hold on his hand.

"Finn?" Rachel called sleepily.

"Hey, babe," he grinned, placing the sheet music in his hand on the floor before laying down on his side and turning to her. He reached over and gently brushed the hair from her face. "How are you feeling?"

"A lot better, actually," she smiled, pushing back the covers so she could snuggle up to him. "Especially with you here." Finn beamed, wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of her head. Rachel's eyes widened when she looked out her window. "What time is it?"

"Um, I think around six o'clock," Finn shrugged.

"What?" Rachel blinked. "Have you been here all afternoon? Why didn't you wake me up?"

"Rach, you need rest if you're gonna get better," Finn said softly. "Besides, I needed some time to prep everything for our date anyway."

"Our _date_?" Rachel cocked her head to one side, smirking.

"Yeah. I told you I had a surprise for you, didn't I?" Finn shrugged and smiled a bit, his stomach starting to do somersaults. "If you feel up to it, I kind of found a way for us to still have our Valentine's Day date." Rachel's eyes shimmered with tears. "Just 'cause you're sick doesn't mean you should have to skip Valentine's Day." Finn's face fell a bit as he thought of the previous year. "Especially because this is our first one together."

Rachel reached up and cupped his cheek in her hand, brushing her thumb back and forth across his cheek.

"Forget last year," she soothed. "What happened, happened. Right now is what matters." He smiled a bit. "Look at me," Rachel said softly. Finn looked into her eyes. "I am madly in love with you, Finn Hudson," she whispered. "And this is just the first of countless Valentine's Days we'll spend together."

An ear-to-ear grin spread across Finn's face.

"Well then, Rachel Berry," he murmured, "will you be my valentine?"

"Always," Rachel smiled, her cheeks turning bright pink.

Finn smirked as he tucked a few locks of her soft brown hair behind her ear.

"You ready for our date?" he asked.

"Now?" Rachel's eyes widened. "My hair's a complete mess, I'm not wearing any make-up, and I'm wearing your baggy sweatpants and hoodie. I look horrible."

"That's funny," Finn said softly, "because I think you look absolutely beautiful."

Rachel wanted to laugh, but he was completely serious. She reached back and pulled her hair into a messy bun.

"So," she smiled gently, "what do you have planned?"

A beaming smile spread across Finn's face.

"I, uh, I thought we could go to New York," he shrugged. Rachel looked at him curiously. "You know, to see dinner and a show."

**gleegleegleeglee**

"Ok, I'm gonna put you down, and we're on stairs, so be careful," Finn said as he lowered Rachel onto the stair below him.

"Are we in my basement?" Rachel laughed a bit.

"No," Finn smirked, untying her blindfold. His heart skipped a beat when Rachel let out a loud gasp. "We're on a rooftop in New York City."

"Finn…" Rachel blinked back tears, clasping a hand over her mouth as she looked around what had been her basement just hours before. She grabbed his hand and walked down the stairs, completely in shock.

Lining the room was a border of red cardboard brick blocks like the ones she used to play with in kindergarten as if they were the edges of the rooftop of a brick building. Beyond that was a painted mural lining every wall of the view from a building seemingly constructed right in the middle of Central Park. Where Midtown Manhattan was supposed to be in the mural wasn't painted, but a real image projected onto a large screen that fit perfectly into a gap in the mural. On the screen a Valentine's Day-themed fireworks show was going off over Midtown. In the center of the room was a table for two, complete with a white tablecloth and red roses.

Rachel slowly circled around and around again, holding her boyfriend's hand tightly as she tried to take it all in.

"Finn…" she said hoarsely, finally turning to him. "Did you do all of this?"

"Um… kind of, I guess. The fireworks thing kept me busy in Computers the past couple of days, which was better than being on Sporcle the whole time like I usually am. And Kurt and Blaine helped a lot with the painting and drawing," he shrugged, smiling a bit. "You know Kurt; he wanted the details and colors just right – especially because it was for you."

Rachel gave Finn a watery smile before wrapping her arms tightly around him.

"You're so amazing," she said into his chest.

"Only for you," Finn grinned.

"You have no idea how badly I want to kiss you right now," she mumbled into his shirt.

"Do it," he smirked.

"No," she shook her head. "I'm still contagious. I don't want to get you sick."

"Rach, I've definitely already been exposed," he laughed.

"Exactly," she said insistently. "Which is why I don't want to make it worse!"

"Alright, alright," Finn smiled amusedly. "But when your fever's gone, the gloves come off."

Rachel gave him a devilish smirk.

"Baby, when my fever's gone, you get _your_ Valentine's Day present," she murmured, tugging on his belt buckle once before turning to walk over to the table. "Well, one of them, anyway."

Finn shook his head and bit back a smile as he shuffled his feet uncomfortably. He had to conjure up the entire Lima, Ohio postal service branch in his mind to stop his head from swimming.

"So," he started over toward the bar area, trying desperately not to look at her because, _of course_, she was wearing _his_ clothes and that just made her impossibly sexier to him, "sparkling cider, tea, or water?"

**gleegleegleeglee**

"Finn, this was amazing," Rachel smiled, taking his hand in hers on top of the table and intertwining their fingers. "You told me you couldn't cook," she smirked.

"I can't!" he laughed. "It took me two days to get this right. I even had to pay Kurt to be my guinea pig for the vegan meatballs to make sure they tasted ok."

"Really?" Rachel giggled.

"Yeah," Finn nodded, giving her a goofy sideways grin. "Hey, better him than you. I'm pretty sure the first batch made him gag."

"Oh, God," Rachel laughed.

The conversation lulled and Finn's heart started to race as he looked into Rachel's eyes. He squeezed her hand in his and ran his thumb over the backs of her fingers.

"I, uh… I have something to give you…" he said softly before reaching down to get the bag at his feet. Finn set the bag down in front of Rachel and smiled. "Happy Valentine's Day." Rachel looked at him as if to say "you didn't have to do any of this for me." "It won't bite," Finn smirked, nodding towards the bag. "I promise."

Rachel smiled a bit and let go of his hand to take the red tissue paper from the bag. She pulled out a black rectangular jewelry box. With another look at her boyfriend, she opened the box. Inside was a diamond pavé star necklace in white gold. Rachel's mouth dropped open. She immediately looked up at Finn, but he wasn't sitting in his chair across from her; he was at her side, slowly lowering himself down on one knee with a nervous, sweet smile on his face.

"There's, uh, something else, too," he swallowed hard, holding a ring case in his hand. Rachel let out a quiet gasp. His hands were visibly shaking as he opened the box to reveal the ring – a diamond pavé outline of a heart met at both sides by the band, the inside of which was inscribed with the words: "Forever Yours, Faithfully". Finn looked back up at Rachel and gave her a reassuring smile as she looked back at him in complete shock. "I-It's a promise ring," he shrugged a bit. He took a deep breath and exhaled quickly. "Uh, wow, ok," he breathed. "Sorry. I'm just really nervous." He looked up to meet Rachel's eyes again, surprised to see that her shocked expression had melted into a sweet smile. Her cheeks turned bright pink as she looked into his eyes. He flashed her his trademark goofy sideways grin, his nerves subsiding a bit. "Rachel, you've had my heart since the moment we met. The past three years of my life have been by far the best, simply because you've been in them. Sometimes I look at you, and it's so hard for me to believe that you let _me_ love you – that _I_ get to be the guy who holds you, and kisses you, and hears your laugh, and sees that awesome smile that you have for me and me alone. But I'm so thankful that you do and that we met because you're the love of my life. I know you are. I will _never_ love anyone like I love you, because there's no one who could ever compare to you, Rachel." He paused, smiling as Rachel wiped the tears from her eyes. "I am _so_ in love with you. I can't imagine my life without you now, and I never want to. My heart belongs to you, Rach. It always has." He drew in a deep breath and took her hand in his. "This promise ring is a symbol of that. It's a promise to be faithful to you and only you for always and forever. It's promise that I'll love you and be there for you no matter what, through good and bad," he squeezed her hand, "in sickness and in health." She brushed her thumb back and forth over his fingers and smiled. "I know neither of us are ready to be engaged or get married or anything like that, and I promise I'm not trying to pressure you into anything, so please don't take it that way. I-I guess I just want you to know that you're everything to me, Rach, and I really want to be with you." Finn reached up and wiped away the tears from Rachel's cheeks. "Rachel Barbra Berry, will you accept this promise ring?"

"Yes," Rachel nodded, an ear-to-ear beaming smile spreading across her face. "Yes! Of course!" Finn let out a sigh of relief. His hands were shaking so badly Rachel had to help him slide the ring onto her finger. They looked at one another, both smiling and a little teary-eyed. "I'm really sorry if I get you sick," Rachel laughed before putting her hand on the back of Finn's neck and pulling him in for a passionate kiss.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Finn pressed another kiss into Rachel's hair as he rubbed her back. Her head was on his chest, tucked under his chin, and she had a fistful of his T-shirt in her hand. He couldn't help but smile as he looked at the ring on her finger.

The only light in the room was from the candles that were almost burned down to nothing. Rachel had fallen asleep on top of him two hours into _Funny Girl_. Not that they'd watched much of it to begin with, considering they made out for the first hour. He smiled, looking around at the family room that he'd turned into a theatre – complete with screen, curtains, and ambient lighting. Suddenly he heard the front door open and shut. His heart sank, knowing he'd have to leave soon. He watched as Rachel's Dads walked into the room.

"She asleep?" Leroy whispered, smiling.

"Yeah," Finn nodded. "I think her fever finally went away, but she's definitely still recovering. How was your night, Mr. Berry? If you don't mind me asking…"

"Of course not!" Leroy bit back a laugh. "It was amazing. Very romantic." He nodded to the ring. "I see yours was, too."

Finn smiled up at him.

"Yeah," he said softly. "It was definitely a night to remember."

Hiram walked into the room, his sport coat still folded over his arm. He nodded at Finn, a small smile tugging the corners of his mouth upward.

"Well, I'm going upstairs," Leroy yawned. "Goodnight, Finn."

"Goodnight, sir," Finn grinned. His smile faded as he looked back at Rachel's Dad. "I can carry her up to her room if you'd like, Mr. Berry," he said quietly. "I'll leave right after. I promise. I know it's kind of late, and I'm sure-"

"It _is_ late, isn't it?" Hiram smirked a bit. "I'd hate for you to have to drive home this late at night. If your Mom doesn't mind, you could stay here tonight."

"Oh," Finn's eyes widened a bit. Rachel's Dad definitely had an angle – he'd driven home from her house much later at night and neither of her Dads had ever blinked an eye about it. "I'll ask her. Thank you, sir."

Hiram smiled and nodded before starting out of the room.

"Mr. Berry?" Finn called. Hiram turned to look at him. "Do you want me to sleep in the upstairs or downstairs guestroom?"

Hiram smiled.

"Well, you can sleep in either if you'd like, but I don't think Rachel would mind sharing her room," he said softly. Finn's mouth dropped open a bit. Hiram reached out and squeezed Finn's shoulder reassuringly. "It's ok. Just **no** funny business."

"Uh, no, sir," Finn swallowed, his mind reeling. "Of course not."

**gleegleegleeglee**

_"Mommmmeeeee!"_

_ Rachel bit back a smile and stayed still. Her body bounced on the mattress as her daughter jumped up onto the foot of the bed._

_ "Mommy, wake up!"_

_ The little girl crawled over the comforter and sheets until she was right at Rachel's back. She put her tiny hands on Rachel's shoulder and gently nudged her._

_ "Mooooommmmmeeeeeeee!"_

_ Rachel waited until her daughter was bent over her to suddenly grab her and gently flip her over. The girl let out a surprised squeak. Rachel hovered over her daughter and leaned forward until they were almost nose-to-nose, her long brown hair tickling the little girl's forehead and cheeks._

_ "Pinnedja!" she smirked triumphantly before kissing her daughter on the tip of her nose._

_ The little girl fell into a fit of giggles, trying to push her mother away as Rachel continued to kiss her forehead and cheeks._

_ "Mommy, stop!" she laughed._

_ "Stop?" Rachel grinned. "Would you rather I… hmm… __**tickle**__ you instead?" She sat back on her heels and began to gently tickle her daughter, who started laughing hysterically._

_ "Mommy, no!" the little girl giggled as she tried to escape. "Daddy, help!"_

_ "Oh, Daddy can't help you now," Rachel teased. "The Mommy Monster's got you!"_

_ "Oh, he can't, huh?" Finn laughed, sneaking up behind Rachel and pulling her away from their daughter before starting to tickle his wife._

_ "Oh, God, Finn! No!" Rachel laughed, trying to get away from him. Before she knew it, her daughter was tickling her, too. "Hey!" she giggled, pulling the little girl down into her arms and kissing the top of her head. "Tickle Daddy, not me!"_

_ "What?" Finn's eyes widened. "No!"_

_ Rachel laughed and pulled him onto the bed before she and their little girl started to tickle him._

_ "No! Anything but the Mommy Monster and the munchkin! Stop!" Finn laughed. "Please!"_

_ "You give, Daddy?"_

_ "I give, I give!" Finn pleaded._

_ "Ok, ok," Rachel conceded, relenting a bit. "But only if I get a good morning kiss."_

_ Finn smirked and leaned in to give her a sweet kiss._

_ "Eww…"_

_ "Eww?" Rachel laughed, pulling her daughter into her arms. "Is it 'eww' when I give __**you**__ kisses? Huh, missy?" The little girl laughed as Rachel kissed her on the cheek._

Rachel opened her eyes, a content smile spreading across her face as she remembered her dream. She blinked a few times as her eyes adjusted to the bright morning light before lifting her head from her pillow, which, much to her shock, turned out not to be a pillow at all. Finn was asleep in her bed with his arms around her, and she had slept with her head on his chest and her arms around him the entire night. A sweet smile played at her lips as she thought of her dream and how happy it had been. She reached up and gently brushed her fingertips across his cheek.

"Someday," Rachel whispered. "Someday that'll be us."

Rachel lay her head back down on Finn's chest, nestling against him and holding him tightly. She shut her eyes and thought of waking up in his arms every day for the rest of her life. Neither of them knew exactly where their dreams would take them. But one thing was for sure: they were together forever and nothing would ever tear them apart, because she was the love of his life, and he was _the one_ for her.

**Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Drop a review on your way out if you don't mind!**


	15. Handprint On My Heart Part I

**Disclaimer: I don't own FOX or **_**Glee**_**, only the plot and any characters you don't recognize from the show. The title based off of "For Good" from **_**Wicked**_**, which I regrettably do not own.**

_**Author's Note: So… it's been awhile. Sorry! School was nuts with a zillion projects and then finals and… ugh. Anyway, after the season finale I'm sure we could all use a bit of cuteness. Ergo, this. Yes, another multi-part-er. I'm sorry, ok! ;) I just have one idea and then I get a lot of feelings and it sort of just expands! Anyway (again), I love parents!finchel, so I wrote some more of that. This is right where "Green-Eyed Girl – Part I" left off – the hospital/taking Ashley home/etc. There are many chapters I'm in the process of writing (including Mia's college auditions, more of this chapter, and… ((could it be?)) a trip to Walt Disney World, i.e. my favorite place of all time because of… reasons?… It's just awesome.). Anyway (**_**yet**_** again), thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the next installment of the series!**_

_**Oh! And I forgot to mention: because Lea Michele herself is a Giants fan, I have officially made Finn the QB of the New York Giants in the story. (I finally assigned him a team.)**_

**Handprint On My Heart – Part I**

_**Unconditional Love**_

Rachel smiled as she watched Finn walk out of the room, hearing the chorus of everyone outside bombarding him with questions before he slid the door shut. Suddenly the hospital room was silent, save the hushed murmur of the traffic on the street below and the quiet rustle of fabric as Ashley nestled further into her blanket. A small, content sigh escaped Rachel's lips as she looked back at her daughter. Ashley was looking straight back at her, making Rachel's heart skip a beat as their eyes met.

"God, I can't believe you're real," she breathed. Rachel's ears reddened as she gave her daughter a sheepish smile. "It sounds kind of stup- um, _silly_, I know. It's just…" she paused for a moment, gently stroking Ashley's cheek, "I've wanted you for _so_ long. Daddy has too of course, but I mean, you were literally always with me and yet I still couldn't do this – I couldn't hold you and kiss you and see your beautiful face. And now you're here, and you're perfect, and I'm just so in love with you that I really don't even know what to do with myself because I literally just want to hug you and never let go. Ever."

Ashley just looked up at her.

"You probably think I'm, like, the weirdest person ever…" Rachel bit her lip. "I just really love you, Ashley. I know you can't understand me, but I love you more than you'll ever know." She smiled a bit. "You're the most loved little girl in the whole wide world, you know that?" Rachel swallowed. "It's kind of funny – you've been physically in my life for all of, like, half-an-hour at the most, and already I can't imagine life without you." She shrugged and shook her head. "I feel so ridiculous right now. I want to tell you how much I love you, make you understand that you're everything to me, and I'm failing miserably. And yet you, you tiny, cute little munchkin, do nothing but finally decide to show up and singlehandedly make me feel more loved and fulfilled than I've ever felt in my life, which is _really_ saying something considering how loving of a family we have. And it's all because I look at you, at your sweet little face and into your beautiful green eyes, and you look back at me with this incredible innocence and pure love that's not at all based on my accomplishments, or anything I've said to you, or anything I've ever done for you; it's completely and totally unconditional in every way."

Ashley blinked drowsily and turned her head away from Rachel for a moment.

"I'm sorry," Rachel sighed. "I'm really inept at this, aren't I? You'll figure all this out about me sooner or later. I talk a lot and I get really emotional over things, for starters." She smiled a bit, wiping the saliva from the side of Ashley's mouth with the edge of the blanket. "But the important thing is: I'm your mommy. I'll always be there for you no matter what. I'll always try my hardest to be the best mommy I can be. I'll kiss every boo-boo, hold you tight in my arms after every bad dream, be at every school event, change any and all diapers no matter how gross, and a zillion other things I can't think of right now." She smiled and leaned in so she and Ashley were almost nose-to-nose. "Which all goes to say," she paused for a moment, kissing Ashley's forehead, "I love you, baby girl."

Cooing softly, Ashley raised her arm somewhat unsteadily and dropped it back onto her blanket before again lifting her arm and reaching over so that her hand touched Rachel's chest, close to her heart. Rachel swallowed and blinked back tears that were quickly threatening to well up in her eyes. She knew Ashley's movements were really just random at best, but it still made her heart skip a beat.

"You know, maybe Daddy's right," she murmured. "Maybe you kind of _do_ understand u-"

"Rach, you good?" Finn called softly.

Rachel's head snapped up and she saw Finn standing in the doorway.

"What?" she blinked.

"Are you ready for everybody to come in and see Ashley?" he asked, a proud smile on his face.

"Yeah," she nodded, grinning. "Of course."

Finn smirked knowingly at her.

"Mommy-daughter bonding?" he asked.

Rachel gave him a beaming smile. He nodded and looked down at the floor with a grin on his face before his eyes met hers again.

"Have you figured out that she's a total mommy's girl yet?" he asked amusedly.

"Have you figured out that she's exactly like you yet?" she returned playfully. "Same temperament, same contented look on her face, same incredible capacity for love."

"No, that last one she got from her mommy," Finn smiled sweetly before turning to open the sliding glass door once again.

Rachel tried to bite back a smile, looking down at Ashley and shaking her head. She immediately looked back up at the sound of a loud gasp to see Carole walking into the room with her hands clasped over her mouth. A sweet, proud smile spread from ear-to-ear on Rachel's face.

"Oh, my God, she's adorable," Kurt blurted out the second he saw his goddaughter, making everyone laugh.

Rachel looked up at her dads, who both proudly gazed back at her with tears in their eyes as they walked over to the bed.

"She's absolutely beautiful," Leroy said softly, leaning over to kiss the top of Rachel's head.

"Thanks, Daddy," she smiled.

"Oh, I'm so proud of you, sweetheart," Carole grinned, cupping Rachel's cheek in her hand before leaning in to kiss her forehead. "And of course, you too, honey," she winked at her son.

"Thanks, Mom," Finn playfully narrowed his eyes at her.

Carole smiled at him and looked down at her granddaughter.

"Hi, sweetheart," she said softly, reaching over to gently stroke Ashley's forearm.

"So, we heard the two of you are already joined at the hip, Rachel," Burt said amusedly.

"..._Maybe_…" Rachel shrugged teasingly. Her smile melted into a soft grin. "I just can't believe she's finally here."

"I can't believe we're grandparents!" Hiram said excitedly.

"I can't believe our little baby had a baby," Leroy mused.

"Tell me about it," Carole agreed. "It seems like yesterday I was changing _his_ diapers," she nodded over at her son, smirking. "But now it's your turn, honey."

Finn's eyes widened a bit.

"Oh, yeah," Burt laughed. "Changing diapers will redefine your meaning of true love."

Hiram and Leroy both laughed and nodded in agreement.

"That's ok," Finn said softly, reaching over to smooth Ashley's fluffy hair. "It's what we're here for, Ash."

Rachel looked up at her dads and in-laws with a gentle smile on her face.

"You want to hold your granddaughter?" she asked.

"Absolutely," Carole said excitedly, her eyes again starting to shimmer with tears.

"Of course," Leroy agreed as Hiram and Burt nodded enthusiastically.

"You ready for her?" Rachel asked softly, looking up at Carole.

"Since the day you told us you were pregnant, honey," Carole smiled warmly.

Rachel grinned and laughed before looking down at her daughter.

"Ok, sweetie," she murmured, kissing Ashley's forehead. "Nana's gonna hold you now."

Rachel looked up at Carole and nodded before gently pulling Ashley away from her chest. Ashley let out a whimper of protest at the sudden loss of contact, reaching out and trying to keep her hand against Rachel's chest for as long as she could.

"Ashley, it's ok, baby girl," Rachel soothed as she carefully lowered Ashley into Carole's arms. "Mommy's here, sweetie. I'm not going anywhere."

Turning her head in the direction of Rachel's voice, Ashley started to bawl.

"Uh oh," Carole said softly. "It's ok, hon. Mommy's not going anywhere."

"Ashley, sweetheart, it's ok," Rachel tried, her heart sinking as she reached out to touch Ashley's hand, which instantly closed around her thumb. She gently stroked the back of Ashley's hand. "I'm here," she said pacifically. "I'm right here."

Ashley's cries subsided almost instantly as Rachel started to rub circles on her belly.

"It's just Nana, Ash," Rachel murmured. "She loves you, munchkin. She won't hurt you. And I'm still right here; I'm not going anywhere. Don't worry. Daddy and Mommy are right here. We won't let anything happen to you."

Rachel reached up to wipe the tears from Ashley's cheeks with her other hand as Ashley started to settle down, nestling into Carole's arms.

"There you go," Rachel whispered, smoothing Ashley's hair. "Just relax, sweetheart."

When Rachel looked back up, everyone was looking at her with a knowing smile.

"What?" she blinked.

"She's just a really lucky baby girl to have you as her mom," Burt explained.

Rachel's cheeks reddened and she smiled a bit before looking back at her daughter.

"No," she shook her head. "I'm the luckiest mom in the world to have her as my baby girl."

**gleegleegleeglee**

Finn blinked drowsily, drifting in and out of sleep as he'd been doing all night. He tried to find a comfortable sleeping position at first, but once Rachel fell asleep against him, he didn't dare move. She needed the sleep more than he did anyway. Even after watching the whole thing, he still didn't know how she did it. Twenty hours of labor. That had to be some sort of record or something. His ears were still sort of ringing from all the screaming.

A small, soft grunt broke the silence of the room. Finn's eyes immediately flew open. A surge of panic ran through his body as he turned to the small, clear hospital crib at his side of the bed before a quiet sigh of relief escaped his lips as his dark eyes met her emerald green ones. _Her_. His _daughter_.

"Hey, kiddo," he smiled a bit.

Ashley clenched and unclenched her fists before letting out another quiet grunt.

"What's the matter, munchkin?" Finn frowned. "Can't sleep?" He studied Ashley closely for a moment before reaching into the crib.

Ashley put her tiny hands on his palm and the back of his hand as he stroked her cheek with his index finger. He smiled, gently holding onto her hand between his thumb and palm.

"You're so tiny," he whispered, marveling at her. "Just like your mommy." He grinned and wiped some of the drool from the side of her mouth before pulling his hand back to rub it off on his jeans. "That's what my jeans are now anyway, aren't they?" Finn smirked at her. "Baby-spit wipes."

Ashley looked up at him and let out a soft whimper, reaching her hand up seemingly towards him. Finn frowned worriedly and reached back into the crib.

"What is it, Ashley?" he asked softly. "Oh, wait. Are you hungry?" He moved his hand up to her mouth and bent his index finger before brushing her bottom lip with his knuckle, only for her to move her head away. "…I guess that's a 'no'." Finn's eyes widened and he glanced over at his sleeping wife before anxiously looking back at Ashley. "You don't need a diaper change, do you?"

Ashley just looked at him.

"I-I mean, I guess I can do that," Finn blinked. "I've never done it on a real baby before." He quietly cleared his throat and fixed a look of calm determination on his face as he looked at his daughter. "I mean, uh, that's nothing to be worried about or anything, Ash. I _am_ your daddy, after all. This is in my job description, right? I-I mean, not that it's a job to take care of you – it's the best thing ever, really. Um, anyway, I can do it, I promise. Mommy made me take classes with her and everything. Daddy can do this." He looked over at Rachel again before turning back to Ashley. "Just, uh, just let me untangle myself here."

Finn carefully pulled his arm away from Rachel, tucking the plush Tigger he bought for Ashley in its place (it was his most favorite character of all time, ok? and he had every intention of teaching Ashley the Tigger song before Rachel got to _Funny Girl_…). Sliding off the side of the bed, he wedged a pillow in between Rachel's body and the bed where he was just laying. A sweet smile crossed his face as he watched his wife sleep. He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"I love you, Rachel," he whispered before pulling away again.

Ashley blinked up at him as he carefully took her into his arms.

"And I love _you_ tons and tons and tons and tons," Finn smiled playfully at his baby girl. "To infinity and beyond and back and infinite number of times."

Ashley put her hand on his chest, right over his heart. Finn swallowed, looking up and blinking away the sudden watery blurriness in his eyes.

"Oh, um, right," he nodded determinedly, remembering the task at hand. "Diaper change. Ok. We can do this, right?" he looked down at Ashley in question. "…Right…"

Thankfully there was enough light from the surrounding city shining through the windows for him to see without having to turn on the lights and risk waking Rachel. Finn walked over to where Ashley's diaper bag and Rachel's overnight duffel were stashed by one of the couches in the sitting area. With a deep breath and a nervous glance at his daughter, he unzipped the diaper bag and took out the changing mat, a fresh diaper, baby wipes, and everything else a person could possibly need to use while changing a baby.

"You know, you'd think they would have a changing table in here," he remarked as he spread the mat out on the coffee table. "They have a kitchen and two sitting areas, but no changing table." Finn shrugged at his daughter before putting her on the mat. "Don't worry. It's clean. Mommy and I made sure to sanitize everything."

Ashley squirmed as he gently unwrapped her blanket.

"I know it's cold," Finn bit his lip. "I'll try to be quick."

He hesitated a moment, looking between his daughter, the baby wipes, and the fresh diaper. An amused smile crossed his face at the sight of Pooh, Piglet, and Tigger on the front of the diaper (yeah, they were awesome _and _natural so they were good for Ashley… and he might have totally begged Rachel to get them because of Tigger…).

"Ok, Hudson. Man up. Let's do this," Finn nodded determinedly. Grabbing the fresh diaper, he gently lifted Ashley up off the mat and put the clean diaper under her. "Ok, clean one under one already on. Now open." He winced internally and pulled the tabs, only to find that the diaper was completely and totally clean. "Oh…" Finn said quietly. "I guess that wasn't it, either." He let out a quick sigh as he switched out the diapers and finished changing Ashley before quickly cleaning up. "Well, if you're not hungry and you don't need to be changed, what's the matter, squirt?"

After again wrapping her tightly in her blanket, Finn scooped Ashley up in his arms. Ashley nestled against his chest, pressing her cheek into his soft cotton t-shirt. Finn studied her closely for a moment before a look of realization crossed his face.

"You just…" he mused, reaching up and stroking her cheek as a sweet smile crossed his face. "You just want to be held, don't you?" He laughed a bit. "Well, at least we know I can do the diaper thing, right?"

Finn leaned in and kissed her forehead. A small gasp escaped his lips when Ashley put her hand on the side of his face. They stayed for a moment just like that – almost nose-to-nose, Finn completely awestruck as Ashley ran her hand across his clean-shaven cheek.

"Finn?"

Finn's head snapped up and he whipped around to see Rachel sitting up and rubbing her eyes. Ashley uttered a soft whimper of protest and Finn stretched out his hand so she could grab onto his thumb.

"Baby, what's wrong? Is she ok?" Rachel asked worriedly.

"Yeah," Finn nodded, walking over to the bed. "Yeah, she's fine. She woke up like a few minutes ago. I was just making sure she wasn't hungry or needed a change or anything." He grinned down at Ashley before looking back up at Rachel. "Turns out she just wanted to be held."

Rachel's eyes glimmered as she looked at her husband and daughter with a beaming smile.

"Hey, baby girl," she murmured, reaching over to caress Ashley's cheek.

At the sound of her voice, Ashley immediately looked over at her mother and reached out for her with her free hand. Rachel put her hand against her daughter's and Ashley grabbed onto her ring finger.

"She has a thing for holding onto people's fingers, doesn't she?" Finn smirked, gently moving Ashley's hand up and down with his thumb. "She's a touch-a-holic like her mommy."

Rachel laughed and leaned in to kiss Ashley's forehead.

"Are you?" she asked playfully, tickling Ashley's tummy. "Are you a touch-a-holic just like me?"

Ashley let out a soft grunt and scrunched up her nose, squirming in Finn's arms.

"Hey!" Finn smiled excitedly. "She's doing the nose-scrunch thing just like you, too!"

He and Rachel both laughed, smiling down at their baby girl.

"She's amazing," she said after a few moments. "Absolutely perfect."

"I know," Finn nodded. "We totally hit the kid jackpot. I mean, she doesn't even cry, really. She's so chill, and like the cutest thing ever to exist to boot."

"Did you change her diaper?" Rachel cocked her head to one side, looking past Finn to the changing mat on the coffee table.

"Oh," Finn looked over his shoulder. "Yeah. She didn't need it, though." He glanced back at Rachel, who was looking at him with puppy-dog eyes and her loving "I'm so proud of you" upside-down smile.

"You're such a great daddy," she said happily.

He flashed her his trademark Hudson sideways grin.

"I'm trying," he shrugged.

She smiled softly and carefully leaned in to give him a sweet kiss. They both looked down at their baby girl when they broke the kiss to see her yawn.

"I think somebody wants to go back to sleep," Rachel murmured, pulling Ashley's blanket a bit tighter around her.

"She's still kind of keyed up, though," Finn frowned. "Her eyes are wide open." He looked up at Rachel. "Maybe you should sing to her; that always calms her down."

"Or _we_ could sing to her," Rachel suggested softly.

He smiled a bit.

"Our song?" he smirked.

"Our song," Rachel nodded.

Finn quietly cleared his throat and grinned down at his daughter, slowly rocking her in his arms.

"Highway run…"

**gleegleegleeglee**

"We're parents…"

Finn stopped stuffing a shirt into his duffle bag to look up at Rachel. A sweet smile crossed his face at the sight of her cradling Ashley in her arms, completely mesmerized by their baby girl.

"You just figured that one out?" he whispered teasingly.

Rachel smiled, tearing her eyes away from her sleeping daughter for only a moment to look at her husband before glancing back at Ashley again.

"No," she murmured amusedly. "It just seems so surreal." Rachel gently stroked her daughter's cheek as Ashley sucked on her index finger. "She's here. She's _real_. We have a daughter." Her stomach did somersaults out of excitement at the thought. "We're her mommy and daddy. And now we get to take her home and really start our life with her."

Finn smiled a bit and walked over to the side of the bed. He kissed the top of Rachel's head and rested his cheek against her temple, looking down at their daughter.

"God, she's so perfect," he grinned, gently tracing the bridge of Ashley's nose with his finger.

"Is it weird that I think I could watch her sleep all day?" Rachel asked quietly.

"No," he shook his head, smiling. "Not at all."

"…Good," Rachel murmured.

Finn kissed Rachel's temple and nuzzled her ear affectionately.

"You're such an amazing mom, Rach," he whispered.

He could see Rachel's face light up, her eyes sparkling even brighter as she kept her gaze fixed on Ashley.

"You think so?" she asked.

"_Think_?" Finn blinked. "Do you see Ashley right now? She's, like, perfectly, blissfully happy just being in your arms. Rachel, I don't _think _so – I _know_ so. And more importantly, _she_ knows it. I mean, look at her. She's, like, using one finger as a pacifier and has a death grip on your pinky. That's definitely her way of saying: 'This is my mommy. She loves me more than anything and we're kind of completely inseparable. She's mine. Don't mess.'"

"Oh, that's what she's saying, huh?" Rachel smirked up at him.

"Totally," Finn nodded, trying to bite back a laugh. "Telepathically connected, the two of us," he gestured between him and Ashley.

Rachel shook her head and laughed. Her eyes locked with Finn's for a moment before he leaned in to kiss her.

"You're an incredible mom, Rachel," he murmured once they broke the kiss. "I promise."

A gentle smile spread across Rachel's face.

"I love you," she said softly.

"I love you, too, babe," he grinned. "Now I have to finish packing so we can finally go home."

"Oh," Rachel's eyes widened. "I almost forgot. I got you something." She shrugged as Finn looked at her questioningly. "Well… technically it's for Ashley, but it's really more for you…"

"What is it?" Finn blinked.

"I'm not gonna tell you," Rachel laughed. "You have to open it. The box is in my overnight bag."

Sliding off the side of the bed, Finn walked over to the couch and unzipped Rachel's bag. Sure enough, sitting on top of all of her clothes was a box wrapped in pink paper dotted with gold stars. He smiled as he picked it up and looked at Rachel, who nodded for him to open the gift. Sliding his fingers under the tape on either side, Finn quietly tore away the paper before taking the lid off of the box. His mouth dropped open as soon as he pushed back the white tissue paper.

Finn looked up in shock at Rachel, who flashed him a sweet smile. His hands were almost shaking as he took the tiny, pink Giants jersey out of the box. The number "5.5" was emblazoned on the front and back, and the nameplate read: "Daddy's Girl".

"It's her official number," Rachel said as Finn looked up at her, his mouth still agape. "Coach Turner sanctioned it and everything."

Finn smiled, shaking his head in disbelief as he walked over to his wife.

"You're the best," he said softly before giving Rachel a sweet kiss.

"I figured she should have her city debut proudly supporting her daddy and his team. I mean, after all, she _is_ your good luck charm and now-officially-unofficial team mascot. Not to mention she sort of indirectly won you guys the Super Bowl last season," Rachel grinned.

Finn laughed and looked at his daughter.

"You totally did, munchkin," he said as he smoothed her fluffy brown hair. "You totally did."

_**Author's Note: Thanks for reading! It's getting kind of risky to post stuff nowadays even if it's a pure fluff chapter about Finn and Rachel as new parents (yikes! But I'm not here to stir the pot, mind you – 'twas merely as statement.), but hopefully this flies under the radar. As always, thanks again for reading, and reviews are very greatly appreciated! **_**The next part of the chapter will be Ashley's homecoming**_**. Until then, all the best!**_


	16. Handprint On My Heart Part II

**Disclaimer: I don't own FOX or **_**Glee**_**, only the plot and any characters you don't recognize from the show.**

_**Author's Note: Ok, part II is up! Hopefully next chapter (if my muse cooperates, which is… well, I make no promises) will be very Daddy!Finn-centric, because I've done a lot of Mommy!Rachel lately, and I love writing Parents!Finchel. Anyway, this is the next installment in the bringing-home-Ashley series. Calling this now: I reserve the right to jump back into this series of baby Ashley ficlets at any random time! As always, thank you for reading and reviewing. Enjoy!**_

_**Oh, and, yes, I'm aware Ashley doesn't follow the typical behavior pattern of any given regular newborn. There's a method to my madness.**_

**Handprint On My Heart – Part II**

_**Happily Ever After**_

"There we are," Finn said excitedly as he finished buckling Ashley into her carrier. "All buckled up and ready to roll."

Ashley flattened her hands against the smooth, light brown fabric of the harness as Finn stood back up. Biting her lip, Rachel covered her mouth with her hand and tried to stifle a laugh.

"What?" Finn asked.

"Look at her face," Rachel nodded towards their daughter.

Ashley was looking sadly at them both, almost as if she were appalled at them for having the audacity to stop holding her and put her in the car seat.

"She's looking at us like we just kicked a puppy…" Finn mumbled sheepishly.

Rachel gave him a reassuring smile.

"No," she shook her head, sitting down on the couch. "She just doesn't like that we're not holding her anymore." She reached her hand under the harness to rub Ashley's tummy, which seemed to instantly relax her. "There you go," Rachel murmured. "See? It's ok, sweetie. We're right here. This thing is just so we can get you home safe and sound. After that, Mommy and Daddy will hold you until you're sick of us."

"And then some," Finn smiled.

Finn and Rachel looked up to see Carole and Leroy walk into the room after taking the last bag down to the car.

"You guys all ready to go?" Carole smiled.

"I think so," Rachel nodded. "The sooner the better," she smirked down at Ashley. "Right, baby girl?"

"She's not a fan of the carrier thing," Finn explained.

"You're not?" Leroy teased, kneeling in front of the couch and tickling Ashley's foot.

Ashley squirmed and wiggled her toes.

"Having all of us hold you is a lot better, huh?" Leroy smiled.

"Don't worry, honey," Carole said reassuringly, grinning at her son. "You were the same way."

"I was…?" Finn blinked as Rachel started to laugh.

"Oh, God, yes," Carole nodded. "I had to carry you _everywhere_. You always wanted to be with Mommy."

"You, too, sweetheart," Leroy grinned at his daughter. "Dad and I had to hold you constantly or you'd start crying."

Finn looked over at Rachel.

"Uh oh," he smirked.

She smiled at him before leaning over to kiss Ashley's forehead.

"It's a good thing we love carrying you, then," she murmured.

"Yeah, just wait until she gets heavier, honey," Leroy smiled knowingly at his daughter.

Carole nodded and laughed a bit.

"Why do you think I married a big, strong football player?" Rachel grinned, winking at her husband.

"I _knew_ there was an angle," Finn teased, playfully narrowing his eyes at her.

"Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Hudson?"

Everyone looked up to see Allison Rycroft, the hospital administrator who was assigned to them as their liaison, walk into the room.

"We finished processing all of your paperwork and I was just notified that security has the entire back exit on lockdown, so you're all set," Allison said as she headed over to them. "We just need both of your signatures on this form and you'll be officially checked out." She handed Rachel the clipboard in her hand.

"Sorry, sweetheart," Rachel said softly as she pulled her hand out from under the harness to sign the form. "One second."

Ashley rested her head against the side of the carrier, patiently looking around at everything and nothing. She yawned as Finn kissed her on the cheek.

"She's beautiful," Allison marveled as she watched Ashley.

Rachel beamed down at the paper as she put the tail on the "n" of "Hudson" in her signature before looking up at Allison and handing her back the clipboard.

"Thank you," she said proudly.

Allison nodded and handed the clipboard to Finn, who added his trademark nondescript squiggly line to the bottom of the form.

"That's it," Allison smiled. "You're all ready to go. Any last minute questions?"

Finn, Rachel, Leroy, and Carole all looked at one another before shaking their heads.

"I think we're good," Rachel said.

"We really just want to get this one home," Finn smiled, gently tickling Ashley's tummy.

"Of course," Allison nodded, grinning. She looked back over her shoulder at the nurse who was just walking into the room, pushing a wheelchair.

"You all ready to go, Mommy?" the nurse smiled warmly.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"Here we are!" Finn said excitedly as he pulled into the garage.

"Did you hear that munchkin?" Rachel asked excitedly, tickling Ashley's tummy. "We're home!"

Ashley just blinked up at her and continued to suck on her index finger. A small, amused smile crossed Rachel's face before she reached down between the baby carrier and her leg to grab Ashley's blanket. Just at the sight of the pink fuzzy blanket, Ashley started to whimper again.

"Uh oh," Carole said quietly.

"What's wrong, munchkin?" Finn asked worriedly, quickly glancing at Ashley in the rearview mirror as he turned onto the ramp to go up a level.

"Oh, no, sweetie," Rachel frowned, gently tucking it around her daughter. "It's just so you won't get cold outside the car. We're not gonna put it over you again. I promise." She leaned in closer to Ashley and soothingly stroked her cheek. "It's ok, baby girl. As soon as we're parked I'll get you out of this thing."

Even with the back exit of the hospital locked down, the paparazzi still swarmed the edges of the parking lot, and they had to cover Ashley's baby carrier with a blanket to keep her from being seen. Rachel and Finn felt awful because Ashley started whimpering instantly and didn't stop until they were five minutes from home, but they had to protect her.

Finn's eyes widened and he slowed the car at the sight of Kurt and Michael, one of the two guards who manned the security desk outside of their elevator, standing near his designated parking spot. By the hesitant smile on Kurt's face, he definitely wasn't there just to welcome them home. Kurt and Michael moved aside as Finn pulled into the spot.

"Hey, guys," Finn said, opening his door as he shifted the SUV into Park. "What's up?"

"Welcome home!" Kurt said as cheerily as he could.

"Congratulations," Michael nodded cordially.

"Thanks," Rachel smiled a bit, leaning through the gap in the front seats to look at Michael and her brother-in-law. "But what's wrong, guys?"

Kurt sighed and shook his head.

"They're here," he said exasperatedly.

"Who's here?" Leroy asked, his brow furrowing.

"The paparazzi, sir," Michael answered somewhat bitterly.

Rachel and Finn had lived in their apartment for four years, and Michael had grown to be very protective of them. Of all the tenants he'd ever worked for at the security desk for the penthouse, they were by far his favorite, and it made him angry that people would dare to ruin this day for them.

"They can't just wait outside of a private residence to harass them," Leroy frowned. "That's illegal."

"Not if they're on the sidewalk, but, you're right, they can't take pictures of people while they're on private property without consent, but it won't stop them from trying," Rachel said icily, shaking her head incredulously. "Don't they have anything better to do than harass us on the day we bring our daughter home from the hospital? It's deplorable!"

"It is, and obviously not," Kurt shrugged. "But it's bad. Like, _mob_ bad."

"What do you mean?" Carole asked worriedly, getting out of the car.

"We had to call the cops, Mrs. Hudson," Michael explained. "They were impeding other tenants from entering the building and being extremely, if not dangerously rowdy. We tried to control it at first but a few of them tried to get into the lobby, and that's when we called. The police should be here soon."

"Oh, my God," Rachel breathed anxiously.

They were expecting a little trouble, but nothing like this.

"I can't believe this," Finn growled. "This is ridiculous!" He roughly rubbed his hand over his face and pinched the bridge of his nose as the sound of sirens grew closer. "We're bringing our baby home for God sakes! This is supposed to be happy!"

"Finn," Rachel said soothingly, putting her hand on his arm. She was just as furious he was, but that wasn't going to change anything. "We're just going to have to deal with this, ok?"

"They're gonna radio me when the front is under control," Michael said. "I'm so sorry this is happening, but we'll protect you. You have my word."

Both Rachel and Finn looked up at him.

"Thanks, Michael," she said softly. "I don't know what we'd do without you."

"Yeah, man," Finn nodded, sliding out of his seat and giving Michael a bro-hug.

"Hey, I've been with you guys for four years," Michael smiled. "You're family to me."

"You are to us as well," Rachel smiled.

"So, where's my princess?" Kurt interjected, trying to lighten the mood.

"Your princess?" Finn teased. "And here I thought she was our kid, Rach."

Rachel laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Daddy and Uncle Kurt are silly, aren't they?" she asked playfully, gently tapping Ashley on the tip of her nose.

"Me silly? _Never_," Finn winked at her as he climbed into the backseat to take out Ashley's carrier.

"Be careful getting out of the car, sweetheart," Carole called over to Rachel.

"I got her," Leroy assured her, making both Finn and Rachel laugh.

Even though it was kind of hectic lately with her dads, Kurt and Blaine (who, although they, too, lived in New York City, wanted to be there to take Rachel to the hospital), and Finn's parents staying at their place, it was really nice to have so much help and feel so loved.

"Ooh," Rachel grunted quietly as she slid out of the car.

"You alright?" Leroy asked, easing her to the floor.

"Yeah," Rachel nodded, giving him a gentle smile. "Just a little sore."

"I can only imagine," Leroy laughed a bit.

Rachel giggled and wrapped her arms around him. A smile crossed her face as she heard Kurt start gushing over her daughter.

"I'm so proud of you, princess," Leroy murmured.

"Thanks, Daddy," Rachel whispered.

Leroy smiled at his daughter as they broke apart, musing to himself about just how grown up she had become.

"You'll always be my little shining star," he beamed.

"I know," she nodded, her eyes shimmering.

Blinking a few times, he swallowed and cleared his throat.

"Now, go bring _your_ little shining star home," he said emotionally.

Rachel gave him an ear-to-ear smile and kissed him on the cheek before turning to go see her baby girl.

"I'm sorry, munchkin, but we have to do this again," Finn frowned, untucking the blanket from around Ashley's body.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Rachel said hurriedly just as Ashley started to whimper again. "Don't!"

Finn stopped and looked up at his wife in question, letting the blanket fall over Ashley's belly and legs again.

"What?" he blinked.

"You know what happened when we did that at the hospital," Rachel shook her head. "She hates it. It scares her. …And I promised her we wouldn't."

Finn swallowed and hesitated for a moment. Rachel looked almost heartbroken at the thought of having to do that to their daughter again. He didn't want to do it either. Hearing Ashley whimper made his heart hurt, but he didn't know what else to do.

"I know, but, Rachel…" Finn frowned, "Baby, the paparazzi… we have to protect her."

"I'll hold her," Rachel said determinedly. "I'll hold her and keep the blanket over her. She won't be seen and hopefully won't be as scared."

Finn nodded and turned the carrier so Ashley was facing her. Rachel knelt down and unbuckled her daughter before gently pulling Ashley into her arms and carefully leaning her baby girl against her shoulder.

"There you go," she murmured as Ashley stopped whimpering. "Mommy's gotcha. Finn can you-?"

"Yeah," he nodded, grabbing the blanket unfurling it.

"Ok, sweetie," Rachel said calmly, dropping a kiss onto Ashley's forehead. "I know you don't like this, but we have to do it, ok? But Mommy's gotcha this time, baby girl. You don't have to stay in the carrier. Mommy's gotcha. I'm right here, ok? Don't be scared."

Finn couldn't help but smile as Rachel nodded at him to drape the blanket over Ashley. She was literally the best mom in the universe.

Rachel's heart sank when she felt Ashley's body tense as Finn carefully put the blanket over her.

"It's ok," she whispered. "It's ok, baby girl. Mommy's right here."

Thankfully Ashley didn't whimper. Finn pushed the blanket away from her face just a bit so she could breathe freely. She blinked drowsily and grabbed a fistful of Rachel's sweater collar as Rachel gently nuzzled her forehead.

"That's my girl," Finn breathed, grinning as he leaned in to give his daughter a kiss on the cheek. "You ready?" he asked, looking back up at Rachel.

She nodded and Finn gave her a reassuring kiss on the cheek before grabbing a few bags of luggage. Once everyone was ready to go, he nodded at Michael, who led them towards the door into the lobby.

"The police should have cleared most of them away from the front," Michael said calmly, opening the door to reveal three more security guards. "Not that they'd ever come in here to begin with, but we'll escort you to your elevator just in case." He looked back at Rachel with a small smile. "Can't be too careful with the precious cargo, you know?"

Rachel smiled at him.

"I honestly don't know what we'd ever do without you, Michael," she said earnestly.

He just grinned and shrugged, his ears glowing pink ever so slightly as he nodded for them to head inside.

They formed a wall around Rachel, two guards on the outside nearest the front doors, then Kurt, Leroy, Carole, and Finn behind them, and Rachel behind them with Michael in front of her and another guard in back. The likelihood that some rogue paparazzo was going to bust through the doors and really harass them was low, but after all of the things they'd seen over the years, there was _no way_ they were putting their daughter in _any_ sort of danger. Plus, the last thing they would ever want for Ashley was for her to be exposed to the media so early. Both of their jobs put them in the public eye, but that was _their _decision, not hers, and they both agreed that they would do everything in their power to keep Ashley away from the insanity as much as they could.

The second they all walked within plain sight of the glass front of the building, everyone noticed. Muffled shouts of "There they are!", "Look!", and "It's them!" added to the now-raucous noise. Camera flashes started going off immediately, regardless of how futile it was to shoot through the glass.

Rachel instinctively held Ashley closer to her body, wrapping her arms tighter around her daughter as she felt Ashley's hand tighten around her collar. She took deep, slow breaths to keep her heart from racing. The situation was scary as hell, but she had to be strong for her baby girl.

"It's ok," she murmured soothingly. "It's ok, munchkin. Mommy's here."

"They can't do that!" Kurt hissed bitterly.

"You know how much a shot of Ashley is worth?" Finn replied. "For that kind of money, they don't care _what_ the law says as long as they get their picture."

"That's disgusting," Carole shook her head.

"Indeed," Leroy agreed.

"How's she doing?" Finn asked softly, putting his hand on Rachel's arm.

She just nodded a bit, keeping her cheek against Ashley's forehead.

"Ryan," Michael called over to the other guard at the penthouse security desk. "Open it."

Ryan hit the "up" button and the doors opened immediately.

"Mrs. Hudson, you should probably go in first," Michael said, gesturing her inside.

"Thank you _so_ much," Rachel said, looking at Michael and Ryan as she entered the elevator. "All of you."

"All in the family," Michael smiled. "She's beautiful, by the way."

"Thanks," Rachel said with a soft smile. "Tell Nicole and the kids we say 'hi'."

"Will do," Michael nodded.

"Thanks for all your help, man," Finn said, shaking Michael's hand. "We'd be screwed without-"

"Finn! Language! We have a baby now!" Rachel protested and everyone laughed as they got into the elevator.

"Sorry," Finn said sheepishly. "We'd be _in trouble_ without you, as always."

"No worries," Michael nodded, trying not to laugh. "Now go. Be happy. Be a family."

Rachel moved so she was out of the view of the front of the building and pulled the blanket off of Ashley's head and shoulders.

"You wanna say 'bye' to Michael?" she asked softly, moving Ashley's hand to wave goodbye. "There you go. Bye Michael. Thank you."

Michael just smiled as the doors closed, his cheeks reddening a bit.

"Well, that was insane," Kurt mumbled quietly.

"It's all over, baby girl," Rachel murmured, gently bouncing Ashley up and down.

"How's my munchkin?" Finn asked quietly, leaning in so he was eye-level with his daughter. "Are you ok, kiddo?"

"She's fine," Rachel nodded proudly, tapping Ashley on the tip of her nose. "She's a Hudson. She's a tough cookie just like her daddy."

Finn and Rachel smiled at one another before he kissed Ashley on the forehead.

"That's my girl!" he smiled, nuzzling his nose against hers.

Ashley let go of Rachel's sweater and shakily lifted her arm before putting her hand over his mouth. Finn's smile widened and he reached up to gently hold her hand with his thumb and index finger.

"Better be careful, munchkin," he teased, "or the Daddy Monster is gonna eat your fingers!"

"Oh, no!" Rachel exclaimed playfully, tickling Ashley's tummy. "Not the Daddy Monster! Anything but that!"

Ashley reached out for Finn's mouth again, running her fingers over his lips.

"I warned ya," Finn laughed. "Nom, nom, nom, nom, nom," he said dramatically, pressing tons of kisses to her palm and fingers.

Squirming in Rachel's arms, Ashley buried her face in Rachel's chest for a moment before looking back at Finn and opening and closing her hand. As soon as he stopped, she pushed her hand against his lips again and everyone laughed.

"You're just cruisin' for a bruisin' aren't you?" he smiled, kissing her hand a few more times. "C'mere you!" he chuckled, gently taking her into his arms and kissing her cheeks, forehead, and nose a few times. Letting out a soft roar, Finn gave Ashley an Eskimo kiss. "The Daddy Monster's gotcha now!"

Rachel gasped dramatically, playing with Ashley's feet.

"Did the Daddy Monster get you?" she teased. "Huh, baby girl?"

Ashley let out a loud, happy squeak and squirmed in Finn's arms. He looked over at Rachel with a huge grin on his face. She smiled back and gave him a sweet kiss.

"We did good," Leroy smiled, locking elbows with Carole as they watched Finn and Rachel.

She put her head on his shoulder and nodded.

"We certainly did," she agreed as the elevator came to a stop.

"Oh, here, can you hold her so I can get the bags?" Finn asked, handing Ashley to Rachel.

"C'mere, baby girl," Rachel murmured, cradling Ashley in her arms as they walked off the elevator. "Ready to finally be h-?"

"Welcome home!"

Rachel's head snapped up and she saw Burt, Blaine, and her dad all standing outside the open doors to their apartment. Just behind them, the entire foyer was adorned with birthday and homecoming decorations for her and Ashley.

"I know it's supposed to be all normal and chill and stuff when you take a baby home from the hospital, and I know you said you already have your birthday present, which obviously nothing else can compete with, but we can't just, like, ignore your birthday, Rach," Finn said softly as he walked up behind her. He grinned at her. "Or Ashley's, of course, but you gave her life after twenty hours of labor. That… kind of tops everything else…"

"And we don't have to do it this instant," Carole added, giving her son a pointed look.

Being the only other person of them who had also experienced exactly what Rachel had just gone through at the hospital, Carole knew how tired she could be and how important for her and Ashley to just relax.

"Oh, right, yeah totally," Finn nodded. "No pressure. Just, whenever you want to."

Rachel just laughed and dropped a kiss onto Ashley's forehead.

"We really have the best family ever, don't we, baby girl?" she smiled.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Finn silently slipped back into his and Rachel's bedroom, his eyes narrowed in concentration as he tried not to drop the lunch tray he was holding. They agreed to postpone the birthday celebration until later after Ashley whimpered for Rachel to feed her soon after they got home. He let Rachel and Ashley have some privacy while he went down and made lunch.

It was hotter than usual inside the room, he noticed. Seeing that Rachel kept every room at, like, thirty degrees (even with snow falling outside…) because she was constantly hot while she was pregnant, it was a welcome change. Blinking a few times, his eyes adjusted to the relative darkness of the room and he looked over at the bed to see Rachel holding Ashley against her chest under a blanket as she rubbed her back. A sweet smile crossed his face.

"Is she asleep?" he whispered.

"No," Rachel grinned, shaking her head.

"Really?" he chuckled. "She sleeps a lot less than I thought would."

"You and I both, honey," Rachel smirked.

He snorted amusedly and walked over to the bed. Actually, Ashley did a lot of things differently than he expected her to.

"Spaghetti and salad," he said quietly, putting the tray on the bed before digging the silverware and napkins out of his back pocket.

"Finn," Rachel smiled at him, "you didn't have to do that. A sandwich would have been fine."

"A sandwich?" Finn shook his head, grinning. "No way. The mother of my child deserves better food than that." He frowned a bit, seeing Ashley's jersey and onesie on top of Rachel's shirt and bra on the bed. "Speaking of which, did she, like, spit up on her onesie or something? Do you want me to get her another one?"

"No, no," Rachel shook her head. "I took it off."

Finn looked at her quizzically, sitting down on the bed.

"She was having some trouble nursing," Rachel explained, smoothing Ashley's hair. "I mean, she was doing it, she just seemed… sort of uncomfortable. She kept tugging at her shirt, so I stopped her for a second, turned the thermostat up, and took it off." Rachel looked at him, shrugging. "She was fine after that." She rested her cheek against Ashley's head and held her a little tighter. "I don't know; I think after all of today's craziness she just needed a little skin-to-skin contact to calm her down."

Finn just smiled, reaching out to stroke Ashley's cheek. Rachel was seriously the most amazing mom on the planet. She'd been at it for, like, three days and she was already an absolute pro.

"God, Rachel," he breathed, laying down next to her, "You're seriously the most incredible mom. I mean, just look at her," he smiled at Ashley. "Just look at how insanely happy she is right now. She just… she loves you _so much_. You can see it in her eyes."

"Finn," Rachel blushed, "she loves you just as much, and she'd look the same if you were holding her."

"No, no, Rachel," he laughed a bit, shaking his head and reaching up to tuck some of Rachel's hair behind her ear. "I'm not jealous or anything, babe. I know she loves me. It's just… you two have something really, really special." He propped himself up on his elbow and looked Rachel in the eyes. "I know how scared you were of all this – especially when you saw Shelby in her eyes."

Rachel swallowed and hugged Ashley tighter.

"But, Rach, to see you two bond the way you have – to see how happy you make each other," Finn shrugged, beaming, "it's honestly the most amazing thing ever. It's beautiful." He brushed his finger over Ashley's hand. "I mean, when you hold her, you can just tell that there's no place in the _universe_ she'd rather be. I know she's only three days old, but it's obvious. And, of course, she loves both of us. I know she does, and I know I have my own bond with her. But what you guys have… it's really incredible."

A sweet, loving grin spread across Rachel's face.

"C'mere," she nodded for him to move over. "Snuggle."

She didn't have to tell him twice. Finn scooted over and Rachel leaned back onto his chest before he carefully wrapped his arms around her and Ashley.

"I love you to infinity and beyond and back an infinite number of times," Rachel whispered, looking up at him.

"Hey, that's my line," Finn teased, kissing her. "I love you that times infinity. And Mommy and Daddy love _you_, little munchkin," he brushed his finger down the bridge of Ashley's nose, "that times infinity an infinite number of times."

"Yes, we do," Rachel smiled, nuzzling Ashley's forehead.

Finn almost jumped when Rachel's stomach growled, and he had to bite back a loud laugh when her ears started to glow red.

"I think it's Mommy's turn to eat lunch now," he smirked.

"…Yeah," Rachel laughed sheepishly. "But I don't think she's planning on moving anytime soon, and I really don't want to move her if she's comfortable."

"Here," Finn said softly, grabbing one the plates and a fork.

He twirled the fork in the spaghetti and held it out for Rachel, who giggled a bit before taking the bite. He hadn't exactly intended to feed her, but if she wanted him to, hell, who was he to say no?

She swallowed and kissed him on the cheek, leaving a lip-shaped spaghetti sauce mark.

"You're amazing," she smiled.

"And you just covered my face in spaghetti sauce," he grimaced playfully.

"I gave you one kiss!" she laughed.

"That wasn't a kiss!" Finn snorted amusedly. "That was using me as a napkin!"

"Was not," Rachel giggled.

"Was too," Finn stuck his tongue out at her.

"Was not. And it's funny," Rachel smiled.

"Not funny," he shook his head, biting back a smile as he twirled her another bite of spaghetti.

"It so is," Rachel countered.

Ashley cooed softly before letting out an amused squeak.

"See?" Rachel smirked triumphantly. "_She_ thinks it's funny." She smiled at her daughter and smoothed her fluffy hair. "Don't you, baby girl?"

Rachel gasped and her mouth dropped open in a perfect "O" as she felt Finn's lips on her cheek. She turned to him as he pulled away to see his mouth covered in spaghetti sauce, some of which was on her cheek in a lip-shaped bright red sauce stain.

"She's right," he laughed. "It _is_ funny."

**gleegleegleeglee**

By the time they finished eating Finn knew it was time to let Rachel in on his surprise, if for no other reason than Ashley was probably going to need a diaper change sooner than later and they would _have_ to go into the nursery. He placed the tray on top of the dresser before walking into his closet and grabbing the thin, giftwrapped rectangular present out of his stacked polo shirts.

"Ok, so, I know we agreed to postpone presents and stuff until later, _but_," he smiled, walking out into the bedroom, "I kind of wanted to do this one away from everyone else."

Rachel just smiled and shook her head a bit as she sat up higher on the pillows, Ashley still snuggled against her chest.

"It's actually for both of you," Finn explained, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. "I mean, she won't really get it for awhile, but still." He put the present on the bed before quickly shucking off his shirt and pushing the gift towards Rachel. "Trade ya," he grinned.

"Daddy's gonna hold you now, ok, sweetie?" Rachel murmured, kissing Ashley's forehead. "Here," she said softly, gently pulling Ashley away from her chest so Finn could take her.

"Hey, squirt," Finn smiled, tucking Ashley against his chest. He lay down on the bed and pulled the blanket up further over her.

Ashley cooed in his arms, nestling against his chest. Finn's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't done the skin-to-skin contact thing with her yet, and it was seriously the best thing ever. He just wanted to hold her and never let go. Feeling her heart beating against his chest made tears prick at his eyes. She was really there. Alive. Breathing. In his arms. His baby girl.

She looked up at him, blinking drowsily as he rubbed noses with her.

"I love you," he whispered as she opened and closed her hand over his bicep.

A smirk tugged at his lips when he felt a small puddle of drool start to form on his chest.

"Like mother, like daughter," he mumbled teasingly.

"That's my girl," Rachel laughed, pulling her shirt over her head.

"Open it," Finn nodded encouragingly at the present.

Rachel leaned over and kissed his forehead before grabbing the present and sitting back against the pillows next to him. Sticking her finger under the edges, she popped open the taped sides and pulled the paper from the hard, thin rectangular object underneath. Much to her surprise, it was a children's book.

"_The Starry Knight_," she read, smiling at the words written in small gold stars at the top of the book cover. She glanced over at him for a moment to see him beaming at her before looking back at the book. "Very cute."

Two characters smiled back at her on the cover. One, clearly the knight, looked an awful lot like a certain tall, awkward and adorable guy she knew. The other, a fairy by the looks of her, looked to be a lot like…

She drew in a sharp breath in shock, her mouth dropping wide open as she locked her gaze on the name printed at the bottom of the cover.

"By Finn Hudson?" she gaped, her head snapping up as she looked over at him. "Oh, my God! Finn! You wrote this?"

He nodded, grinning as his cheeks started to glow a light shade of pink.

"Yeah," he said softly. "It was printed this morning. Kurt picked it up from the publisher," he shrugged, smiling a bit as he opened the cover and turned to the dedication page. "We had to add Ashley's name 'cause we hadn't picked one yet until after she was born."

"'For Rachel and Ashley, whom I love more than life itself,'" Rachel read, sniffling. "'I love you to infinity and beyond and back an infinite number of times.'"

"I told you it was my line," Finn murmured teasingly.

"Finn," Rachel whimpered, squeezing her eyes shut and swallowing as tears ran down her cheeks.

He wiped the tears from her cheeks before taking her hand in his.

"It's, um," he swallowed, "it's… it's our story, Rach. Well, you know, like, the fairy tale version, but still…"

A tear trailed down her cheek as she looked at him in disbelief.

"W-What?" she blinked.

"It's… it's the story of how this farm boy makes a wish on the brightest star in the night sky. He wants to be a knight – a real hero, so that's what he wishes for. And the next night, he goes to wish on the star again, but just as he's about to make his wish, the star shoots down to earth. Suddenly he's face-to-face with this amazing, intelligent, funny, _beautiful_ fairy princess. She tells him that he has a pure heart, and for that reason, she'll help him make his dreams come true. She does help him, and he becomes the bravest and most famous knight in all the land. But when he achieves his dream, she has to return to the sky to protect and watch over other people. The boy realizes that he can have everything he wanted, or _thought_ he wanted, but it all means nothing because she's not in his life anymore, because he was in love with her from the _second_ he saw her, and from that point on, _she_ was his dream – to be with her. But he's just a knight from earth, and she's the protector of everything that's good in the universe. He knows they aren't supposed to be together, but every night he wishes on the brightest star in the night sky – this time that she'll return, just so he can see her one more time. He goes years without seeing her until one day when he sees a young boy being attacked by a dragon. He saves the boy and slays the dragon, only to find out that it was a witch who captured the boy and his sworn guardian – the fairy princess. She tells him that she loves him, too, and she wanted to answer him, but couldn't because she needed to watch over others just like him and being in love with a human would stop her from doing that. But, for his bravery and for saving their daughter, her parents, the king and queen, come to earth and give him the option of being one of them so they can be together because he has proven that he truly loves her. He jumps at the chance and they live, well, happily ever after," he explained softly.

Tears streamed down Rachel's cheeks as she looked at him. Her mouth opened and closed a few times as she tried to formulate a word, but all she could do was swallow and shake her head before a soft cry bubbled up from her chest.

"But mostly," Finn murmured, wiping the tears from Rachel's cheeks and wrapping his arm around her to pull her close, "it's the story of this _unbelievably incredible_ woman and how," he paused, swallowing back tears that were threatening to well up in his eyes, "how much everybody loves her, and-and how insanely important she is to everyone, and just… how Ashley should know how _amazing_ her mommy is."

"I love you more than you'll ever know," Rachel whispered tearily, laying her head on Finn's shoulder.

"I love you more," Finn smiled, hugging his girls closer.

"Not possible," Rachel smiled a bit.

Finn laughed.

"Happy birthday, ladies," he murmured.

"Oh, my God," Rachel breathed, swallowing as she reached up to rub Ashley's back. "Sweetheart, I hope you know how absolutely perfect your daddy is."

"Rachel, I'm not-" Finn shook his head, smiling.

"No, stop," Rachel said imploringly, putting her finger on his lips. "Finn, honestly. You're the most amazing, kindhearted, incredible person I've ever met. Don't ever think differently."

"So… you won't be mad when I tell you I added something to the nursery…?" Finn asked quietly.

"Huh?" Rachel blinked.

"I, um… I had a mural painted of the happily ever after scene in the book on the wall above her crib," he explained. "It fits with the color scheme, though, I made sure." He shrugged. "I just kind of figured it fit. You know, since she's our _real_ happily ever after."

Rachel beamed at him. Honestly, he was kind of surprised she wasn't mad, but he wasn't about to second-guess that.

"That's adorable!" she cooed, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Really? You think so?" he smiled.

"Absolutely!" she nodded.

"Oh, and a star on the ceiling above her crib," he said. "So, even if she wakes up because of a bad dream or something, she'll always know we're watching over her. But that's it, I swear."

Rachel just shook her head and smiled.

"You're scary perfect, you know that?" she asked quietly.

He smiled a bit.

"Well, I don't know about that," he whispered. "But I _do_ know that every single great thing in my life all started when I first saw this tiny little Jewish girl walk by me in the halls of McKinley with a pink binder hugged to her chest and wearing a black sweater and lime green skirt. And from that moment on I couldn't get her out of my head." He smirked at his wife. "You know why?"

Rachel wiped a tear from her cheek and shook her head. Finn leaned his head against hers.

"Because she stole my heart," he answered simply.

**Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Drop a review on your way out if you wouldn't mind! Oh, and stay tuned for the next chapter!**


	17. Hail and Farewell Part I

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Glee**_** or FOX. Wish I did, but I don't. …Rats.**

_**Author's Note: Wow, has it been awhile. Thanks for bearing with me this long if you're a returning reader, and thank you for reading if you're new to the story. I've been working on this for a long time (obviously with some breaks in between, or it would have been completed much sooner – haha). Hope all of you like this chapter – it's a big one. I wasn't going to partition this one, but by the time I reached a 28-page Word document, I figured it probably had to be done so your eyeballs wouldn't fry because of one ginormous chapter. So… yeah… here ya go:**_

_**Hail and Farewell – Part I**_

"Almost done, baby girl," Rachel murmured, gently holding her hand over Ashley's eyes as Finn carefully poured another cup of warm water over her head.

Ashley pushed against Rachel's hand.

"Mmm," she babbled, grasping at Rachel's wrist. "Aaaahhhh."

"What, munchkin?" Rachel asked softly. She pushed Ashley's wet hair back before bringing her hand down so she could brush her thumb back and forth over her daughter's cheek. "What's the matter?"

"Mmmmm," Ashley burbled again. "Aaaaahhhheeeee."

"She's usually so happy when we bathe her," Rachel said worriedly, looking over at her husband. "…Actually she's usually _always_ happy…"

"I know," Finn sighed. "Now she just looks upset."

"She seemed a little off after I fed her around three, and she's been getting worse ever since," Rachel bit her lip. "Do you think she's getting sick?"

"I doubt it," Finn shook his head. "I mean, where would she have gotten it from? We've only taken her out once where she's been in really close contact with people, and even then it was just to the doctor so she could have her newborn checkup. But that was like three months ago, so that can't be it. Plus we've been, like, super careful about who comes near her." He looked back at Ashley. "Besides, she looks kind of… _frustrated_; not, like, sick or anything."

Rachel watched as Ashley grabbed her finger, tugging on her hand almost pleadingly. Her eyes darkened with concern.

"I'm still gonna take her temperature," she sighed, leaning in to kiss Ashley's damp forehead. "Something's troubling my cuddle bug enough to take the beautiful smile off her face and I don't like it."

"Mmmm," Ashley repeated, this time in a seemingly desperate whimper. "Aaaaahhhheeeee!"

"Why does she keep doing that?" Finn asked curiously, unplugging the tub drain. "She's been saying it over and over today."

"She's probably just starting to babble," Rachel said. "Typically it doesn't start for another few months, but she's always been a little ahead of the curve." She gave Ashley another kiss and tried to pull her finger from her daughter's grasp so she could go get her towel.

"Mmmm!" Ashley whined as Rachel stood up. "Mmmm!"

"What's wrong, kiddo?" Finn asked worriedly. "You're always so happy. What happened, Ash?"

Her hands outstretched, Ashley reached for her mommy as Rachel walked over to grab her hooded Pooh Bear towel off the rack on the wall near the shower.

"Mmmm," she whined again, her face contorting into a frustrated grimace as she stretched her arms further. Ashley looked at Finn, her green eyes searching his imploringly. "Mmmmaaaahhhh!" she exclaimed.

"What, Ashley?" Finn frowned.

Ashley reached again for Rachel, this time so hard she started to fall forward.

"Ashley!" Rachel exclaimed, her eyes widening in horror.

Finn immediately caught her and held her steady.

"Calm down, munchkin," he said softly, laying her back down against the back of the baby tub. "Just relax."

"That's it. I'm calling Dr. Leaderhandler," Rachel shook her head, her heart sinking as Ashley looked at her imploringly.

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Finn nodded.

"Here," she handed him the towel. "I'll be right back."

Tears started to well up in Ashley's eyes as Rachel walked away. She pushed against Finn's hand, whining loudly before slamming her hands down into the excess water.

"What?" Finn asked desperately, trying to keep his voice as calm as possible. "Ashley, what's wrong?"

"Mmmmm," she cried out again, her face screwing up with frustration. "Mmmmaaaaahhhhh-mmeeeee!"

Rachel gasped, immediately whipping around to look at her baby girl. Ashley looked back at her wearily, her heavy breathing slowing and her eyelids drooping as a relieved expression formed on her face.

"Did she just-?" Finn blinked.

"I… think… so…" Rachel swallowed. She walked back into the room and dropped to her knees at the side of the tub, smiling at Ashley.

"At three months?" Finn gaped. "Like… three-months-as-of-_today_ three months?"

"Can you say it again, munchkin?" Rachel asked encouragingly, playing with Ashley's feet. "Can you say 'Mommy'?"

"Mmm… maaahh… Mah… me," Ashley repeated, reaching out for Rachel as the same frustrated expression started to form on her face. "Mah… mah…"

"Easy, easy," Finn murmured, reaching out to smooth Ashley's wet hair. "No pressure, ok, Ash? You got this. You can do it. Just relax."

"Mah…" Ashley started again as she gripped Rachel's fingers tightly in her little hands. "Mmmaaahhh-mmmmeeeee."

"There you go!" Rachel beamed.

"You did it!" Finn exclaimed encouragingly, gently tickling Ashley's tummy. "Good girl!"

"Mah-me!" Ashley giggled, clapping her hands together and looking at her parents excitedly. "Mah-me! Mommy!"

"Yeah, sweetie! That's it!" Rachel nodded excitedly, giving her baby girl a watery smile as she put her hands against Ashley's. "Yay! You said your first word!" She raised Ashley's hands in triumph. "That's my girl!"

"Oh, my God," Finn beamed, shaking his head in disbelief.

A toothless grin spread across Ashley's face and she giggled softly.

"C'mere, baby girl," Rachel murmured as she took Ashley into her arms and wrapped her in the warm, soft towel.

"Mommy," Ashley repeated again, nestling against Rachel's chest.

Rachel smiled softly and kissed Ashley's forehead.

"Great job, munchkin!" Finn said excitedly, rubbing Ashley's back. "Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you!"

Ashley giggled again and beamed at him with her gummy smile.

Suddenly Finn felt his phone vibrate in his back pocket before a shrill ring met his ears. He frowned and dug it out of his pocket.

"Oh," he laughed, his eyes widening. "It's my mom. That's funny; I was just thinking of calling her." He held the phone to his ear. "Hey, Mom!"

"Hi, honey," Carole answered solemnly.

"You'll never guess what just happened!" Finn rambled on excitedly. "Ashley just said her first word!"

"_What_?" Carole gasped.

"Yeah!" Finn nodded, beaming. "We were giving her a bath, and she seemed really frustrated so we thought she was sick, but all of a sudden she just cried out 'Mommy', and-"

"That's-that's amazing, sweetheart," Carole interjected.

"I know, right?" Finn laughed. "Three months _today_! Only _three_ months! She's a genius, Mom. I'm telling you."

Rachel just smiled and rolled her eyes as she bounced Ashley up and down in her arms.

"Yeah, you are really amazing, aren't you, baby girl?" she whispered.

Ashley just yawned.

"It's really kind of funny, too, because I was just gonna call y-" Finn said.

"Finn," Carole stopped him. "Honey, there's something I have to tell you…"

Rachel's smile faded as she watched the joy and color drain from her husband's face. He backed away from her, staring blankly over her head into the mirror above their sinks. Eyes glossing over with a faraway gaze, Finn's mouth opened and closed a few times before he audibly swallowed. His breathing grew shallow and his hands started to shake.

"Finn…?" Rachel called worriedly. "Sweetheart, what's-?"

She stopped, watching his phone slide out of his hand and clatter to the floor. Carole's worried voice calling her son's name over and over again was just audible.

"Mommy…" Ashley whimpered; even she knew there was something wrong.

"It's ok, baby girl," Rachel whispered, watching Finn worriedly as she bent down to pick up the phone.

"Finn?" Carole called again.

"Carole?" Rachel answered quickly. "Finn dropped the phone and he looks _really_ upset. Are you and Burt ok? What happened?"

"Hi, sweetheart," Carole answered softly. "We're fine. We're both fine. But, uh, Grandpa Jack, he's… he's not doing so well…"

"Oh, no," Rachel breathed, squeezing her eyes shut for a moment.

Finn's Grandpa Jack was his paternal grandfather – one of his only living links to his dad next to his aunts, Sophie and Phoebe. After his dad died Finn grew close to Grandpa Jack, who became his father figure – really the only one in his life until Burt and his mom started dating.

"How bad is it?" Rachel asked quietly. She leaned her cheek against Ashley's forehead and bit her lip.

"They don't know if he's gonna make it through the night," Carole said quietly.

Rachel's heart plummeted.

"Oh, God," she sighed, swallowing. "What happened? He was doing fine when Finn talked to him last week."

"The pneumonia came back," Carole answered sadly. "He was already so weak after the lung cancer and then the congestive heart failure that he'd been living with for years. He was doing better, but he relapsed…"

Rachel moved over so she could see Finn through the doorway. He was sitting on the bed, running his hands up and down his thighs over and over again. Her heart sank; he just looked so lost – so _scared_.

"Are you guys flying out tonight?" she asked.

"Yeah, Burt just booked the nine o'clock out of Dayton," Carole said. "We have to leave soon so we can get there in time, so figure we'll be there in four hours if the flight's an hour and it's six now."

"Ok. We'll leave as soon as we can," Rachel nodded. "It'll probably take us around eight hours from now – leave at seven, get there by three-ish, figuring in at least one stop for me to feed Ashley."

"Oh, God, you have to drive," Carole sighed. "I didn't even think about that."

"Yeah," Rachel said, nuzzling Ashley's forehead. "Yeah, she hasn't had her vaccinations yet and she's just _barely_ three months – I don't want to risk it."

"No, of course not," Carole said understandingly. "But, Rachel, honey, you guys don't have to do the drive tonight. You can get some sleep and still be here early in the morning. He's held on this long. I really don't think he's just gonna go that easily."

Rachel sighed and shook her head.

"He needs to be there," she breathed. "We all need to be there."

"Be safe, ok?" Carole said imploringly.

"We will. I promise," Rachel said reassuringly. "We'll see you in a couple of hours."

"Alright," Carole said. "I love you. Burt says he loves you, too."

Rachel smiled a bit.

"I love you guys so much," she said softly.

"Tell Finn and Ashley we love them," Carole said.

"Of course," Rachel nodded.

"Ok, honey," Carole murmured. "Drive safe."

"We will," Rachel said. "Have a safe flight."

"Will do," Carole reassured her. "Love you, Rachel. Bye."

"Love you, too. Bye," Rachel said before ending the call. She let out a long sigh and kissed Ashley's forehead. "Nana says she loves you, baby."

Ashley blinked up at her drowsily.

"C'mon," Rachel whispered. "We're going on a car trip."

Walking out into the bedroom, Rachel watched as Finn stared blankly at the floor. She'd never seen him so upset in her life. He sat perfectly still, just breathing and blinking.

"Finn?" she called gently.

He just shook his head, swallowing hard.

"He can't die," he mumbled almost inaudibly. "He can't. No. He… he can't…"

"Finn," Rachel said unwaveringly, walking over to him and putting her hand against his cheek. "Finn, look at me."

He timidly raised his head, begrudgingly bringing his eyes to meet hers. She slid her hand up to his forehead and pushed his messy brown hair back away from his face before gently running her fingers through his thick locks.

"It's gonna be ok," she whispered soothingly.

"He's dying, Rachel," Finn swallowed. "How is that ok?"

"Don't count him out yet," she shook her head as she put her hand against the side of his neck and brushed her thumb back and forth across his cheek. "I'm gonna get us packed, ok? Why don't you take Ashley and get her ready for bed so she can sleep through the car trip?" she said softly.

Finn nodded slowly. He gently took Ashley into his arms and stood up. Ashley snuggled against his chest, grabbing a fistful of his soft cotton T-shirt. Leaning his forehead against the top of her head, he buried his face in her short fluffy hair. Anyone probably would have thought he was nuts, but he just needed to smell her, to hold her – to _know_ she was there.

"C'mon, munchkin," he murmured into her hair. "Let's go get you in your jammies."

Rachel's heart sank as she watched Finn slowly walk towards the door. His hold on Ashley was heartbreakingly desperate, and it was almost like she knew how scared he was. Ashley was always cuddly, but the way she clung to him – it was like she just _knew_ he needed her. Honestly, in light of everything that had just happened, Rachel didn't doubt that for a second. Barely three months old or not, she definitely wasn't an average baby. Then again, could any child with Berry and Hudson genes ever really be _normal_? On a cold day in hell. _Maybe_.

Suddenly Finn stopped and turned to look at her.

"He hasn't even met her yet…" he mumbled brokenly. "We… we were supposed to visit in-in two weeks so he could meet her…"

Her breath caught in her chest and she gave him a small nod.

"I know, baby," she murmured. "I know."

**gleegleegleeglee**

"How is he?" Finn asked, jumping out of the passenger side seat the second Rachel hit the brakes.

His mom and Burt were walking towards them down the driveway.

"He's holding on, honey," Carole said reassuringly.

"What does that mean?" Finn demanded, his voice soft but intense as he stopped in front of them. "Is he getting better? Why aren't you at the hospital with him?"

Carole looked up at Burt worriedly for a moment before glancing back at her son.

"His condition hasn't changed," she shook her head. "But he hasn't gotten any worse."

"Probably because the only thing worse is _dead_," Finn mumbled bitterly, chewing on the inside of his bottom lip.

"Finn," Rachel murmured soothingly as she walked up to them. She rubbed her hand over his back.

"I know, I know," he breathed. "Don't count him out yet."

"And we're not there because Grams, Aunt Sophie, Aunt Phoebe, and your uncles are with him, and we wanted to wait for you here," Carole finished.

Finn nodded a bit, sheepishly looking at the floor.

"Sorry," he shook his head. "I just," he paused, rubbing the back of his neck, "I…"

Carole immediately wrapped her arms around her son and pulled him into a tight hug.

"It's gonna be ok, Finn," she whispered.

He halfheartedly nodded against her shoulder as an eerie numbness settled over him. It definitely wasn't "gonna be ok". He pulled away and nodded again, not knowing what else to do. The last thing he wanted in the world was for someone to lie and say everything was going to be just fine. It kind of just made him angry. Even the fact that they were staying in Grandpa Jack and Grams' house felt kind of wrong.

Before he knew it, Burt, too, pulled him into a tight hug and his mom had Rachel in her arms.

"I'm gonna go get the bags," he said as they finished exchanging hugs.

"I'll help you," Burt offered.

"We put you guys in the guest room on the second floor so you guys and Ashley can have some privacy. Aunt Sophie and Uncle Mike are staying in the other guest room downstairs so they don't have to drive from their house every day," Carole explained. "Aunt Phoebe and Uncle Tom are staying at the closest hotel possible, which is little Marriott down the street." She paused for a moment and looked at Finn and Rachel. "So where's my grandbaby and how in the world is she already talking?"

Rachel couldn't help but smile. Even Finn had the slightest beginnings of a grin tugging at his lips.

"I told you, Mom," Finn replied, shrugging as he turned to head toward the trunk. "She's a genius."

Rachel shook her head and rolled her eyes. She didn't like it when Finn called Ashley a genius; she felt it put far too much pressure on their baby girl. Contrary to popular belief (and Kurt's nickname for her), she was neither a diva, nor a stage mother when it came to Ashley (…or at least she wasn't _after_ her baby girl was born). Her daughter was absolutely perfect just the way she was (even though that meant she currently resented _all_ frills, lace and bows – the touchstones of Rachel's wardrobe as a child). Still, she wasn't about to lecture him about it when his world was surely falling apart.

"_Ashley_," Rachel said somewhat pointedly, "is asleep in the car. And we honestly have no idea. We were giving her a bath, and she seemed really agitated, so we thought she might have been getting sick." She opened the back rear passenger side door and smiled at Ashley, asleep in her car seat with her head resting against the side and a puddle of drool under her open mouth. "She was so upset. She just kept tugging on my fingers and reaching out for me as she cried out what we later figured out were her frustrated attempts at saying 'Mommy'," she continued. "We were really worried, and I was literally walking out of the bathroom to go call Dr. Leaderhandler when she cried out 'Mah-me'."

"Wow," Carole smiled, shaking her head.

"Yeah," Rachel nodded, her expression falling a bit as she watched Finn and Burt disappear back into the house with some of their bags. "But she hasn't said it since-"

"Oh, honey, she probably just wore herself out or she's shaken up because of the trip," Carole said reassuringly.

"No, I mean she hasn't said it since she saw what happened when you talked to Finn on the phone," Rachel explained, watching a small frown form on Carole's face. She glanced up at the house again to make sure Finn wasn't coming back. "She barely slept the whole way here, and Finn and I _both_ had to actually coax her to eat when we stopped, which _never_, _ever_ happens," she bit her lip. "She just wanted Finn to hold her. He had to sit in back with her after we stopped to try and get her to go to sleep." Rachel ran a hand through her hair and sighed. "You should have seen her with him earlier – the way she just stayed with him and held onto him…"

"That's odd…" Carole said pensively. "It's like she's… _worried_ about him. But that's…"

"Sounds impossible – I know," Rachel nodded.

"But how could she-?" Carole started.

Suddenly a low, short grunt broke their conversation. Rachel turned to see Ashley stretching out her legs and slowly opening her eyes.

"Honestly, with this one and her penchant for passing baby milestones months in advance, I've learned to stop asking questions," she mumbled somewhat amusedly, watching Ashley yawn. "Hey, sweetie," she said quietly. "Did we wake you up?" She wiped the saliva from Ashley's cheek and brushed it off on her jeans. "I'm sorry, baby girl." Unbuckling Ashley's harness, she pushed it away and pulled the blanket tighter around her daughter. "Look who's here!" she said excitedly, gently taking Ashley into her arms. "It's Nana!"

"Hi, honey," Carole beamed, putting her thumbs against Ashley's palms and moving her hands up and down as Rachel bounced the little one in her arms.

Ashley grunted again and snuggled against Rachel.

"She's wiped out," Carole smirked as she smoothed Ashley's soft hair.

"You want to hold her?" Rachel asked.

"Of course," Carole nodded, grinning as she took her granddaughter into her arms. "How's my munchkin?" she murmured into Ashley's hair. "Huh? Are you tired, sweetie?"

"There she is!" Burt exclaimed happily as he headed back down the driveway towards them.

Ashley shakily lifted her head at the sound of his voice and Carole playfully gasped.

"Who's that? Hmm?" she smiled. "Who's that? Is that Pop-Pop?"

"Hey, princess," Burt said softly as he walked up to them. He reached out to rub Ashley's back.

"You want to hold her?" Carole asked.

"Absolutely," Burt nodded, gently taking her from his wife. He held Ashley up in the air above his head for a moment before tucking her safely into his arms. "It's been way too long since I've seen you, fuzz. I can't believe it's been a month."

Rachel couldn't help but giggle at the nickname. Ashley really wasn't ever going to live down the fact that she'd been born with hair just as messy as her father's.

"Oh, don't call her that," Carole rolled her eyes, biting back a laugh.

Burt playfully narrowed his eyes at her and pulled Ashley closer.

"Don't listen to her, fuzz," he smiled. "It's a great nickname."

The front door opened again and Finn walked outside, shoving his hands into his the pockets of his jeans before sauntering down the stairs at the edge of the front porch and heading down the driveway. Ashley lifted her head, her eyes flying open at the sight of her daddy.

Suddenly she let out a loud, low whine and squirmed in Burt's arms, reaching out for Finn over his shoulder. Finn's head snapped up and he frowned as he quickened his pace; it was Ashley's "Daddy cry".

"What's the matter, Ash?" Burt asked worriedly.

"She wants Daddy," Rachel explained, gently rubbing Ashley's back. She looked over at Carole and raised her eyebrows a bit as if to say: "See?".

"Hey," Finn said softly as he reached them. He pulled Ashley into his arms. "Hey, kiddo. It's ok. You're alright. I'm here."

Ashley nestled against his chest, grabbing a fistful of his sweater in each hand.

"What's wrong, munchkin?" he asked as he rubbed her back. "You always want Mommy cuddles when you wake up…" he smirked a bit, "…just like I do, 'cause they're the best kind."

Rachel grinned, her heart simultaneously plummeting and swelling as Ashley turned her head to look at her. Her baby girl looked upset. And not just troubled, either – she looked _scared_.

Almost instinctively Rachel closed the gap between her and Finn and reached behind him to rub his back. She reached up to stroke Ashley's cheek with her other hand.

"No way," she smiled, first at him and then at Ashley to try and get that heart-wrenching look out of her eyes. "Daddy cuddles are the best, aren't they sweetie?"

Ashley just looked back at her, expression unchanged, before burying her face in the crook of Finn's neck. Rachel swallowed thickly, doing her best to keep a calm look on her face.

"Rach, is she ok…?" Finn asked worriedly. "She's been acting really weird…"

No, she absolutely wasn't ok. Her daughter was _not_ ok. She was a three-month-old baby who was supposed to be smiling and giggling and blissfully unaware of everything bad in the world, not scared because she knew there was something wrong with Daddy.

"You know, sweetheart, she's probably a little shaken up from the trip," Carole interjected, giving her son a reassuring smile. "It all happened really fast. She's probably just out of sorts because she's never done anything like this before."

Finn pursed his lips and leaned his cheek against Ashley's head. Rachel looked at Carole thankfully.

"She'll be fine," Carole continued. "She probably just needs some extra TLC. Try to make everything as normal as possible."

"You better be ok, kiddo," Finn smiled a bit. "You have to meet Grandpa Jack."

Rachel's eyes flew wide open, as did Burt and Carole's. They all looked at one another, Rachel and Carole sharing extremely worried looks.

A sickening feeling settled in the pit of Rachel's stomach as her heart plummeted. Finn wanted nothing more than for Ashley to meet Grandpa Jack – to introduce his daughter to his father figure. It was all he'd been talking about for weeks.

And there was no way it could happen.

"What?" Finn asked edgily, his brows furrowing.

"Finn," Rachel said gently, "Baby, she… Ashley can't meet him. I-I'm sorry, I thought you realized that…"

Finn looked at her incredulously, almost disgustedly as he backed away from her a few steps.

"What the _hell_ are you talking about?" he asked harshly.

"Sweetheart, Grandpa Jack has pneumonia," Carole explained. "And he's in a hospital with other patients who are also very sick."

"I know that. So what?" Finn shook his head. "He's dying."

"She could get really sick. Ashley's immune system has barely started working on its own and my antibodies can only do so much for her," Rachel answered softly. "She's just not ready to be exposed to serious diseases like that; she's too little."

"But he's _dying_!" Finn exclaimed angrily, making Ashley wince and tighten her hold on his sweater.

"_She_ could die, Finn," Rachel said seriously.

Finn glared at Rachel for a few moments, clenching and unclenching his jaw before he ripped his eyes from hers. He knew she was right. Honestly, he had from the moment his mom told him what happened over the phone, but he didn't want to believe it.

"Here, kiddo," he mumbled, gently pulling Ashley away from his body.

She whined loudly in protest, desperately gripping his sweater.

"Finn, don't," Rachel pleaded quietly, shaking her head.

"It's ok, Ash," Finn murmured, ignoring his wife as he pried Ashley's hands off his collar and pushed her into Rachel's arms. "Mommy's gonna hold you."

Ashley pushed her hands against Rachel's chest, squirming in her arms as she cried out for her daddy.

"Finn, no-" Rachel said worriedly as Ashley started to wriggle even more. "Ashley, Ashley, easy," she soothed, tightening her hold on her daughter. "It's ok, sweetheart. Calm down."

Brushing past Rachel, Finn headed for the trunk of the car.

"I'm gonna finish getting the bags inside," he said quietly. "And then I'm gonna go to the hospital."

"Finn, it's almost four in the morning," Carole tried. "Visiting hours-"

"I don't care!" Finn growled as he tore Ashley's Pack N' Play from the trunk. "I'm going, and there's nothing you can do about it!"

**gleegleegleeglee**

"Can I come in?"

Rachel looked up to see Carole peeking her head around the wall of the small alcove that lead from the door into the room.

"Yeah, of course," she whispered, giving her mother-in-law a tired smile as she adjusted Ashley in her arms.

Carrying a tray of her famous blueberry coffee cake and some fresh juice, Carole walked into the room.

"Is that for me?" Rachel asked, an upside-down smile crossing her face. "You didn't have to do that."

"Oh, I get the right to spoil my daughter with breakfast in bed every once in awhile," Carole smirked as she set the tray down on the table.

Rachel let out a soft laugh and grinned.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Carole looked at her for a moment before glancing down at Ashley and sighing.

"How's she doing?" she asked, biting her lip.

Taking in a deep breath, Rachel looked down at Ashley, who was fast asleep in her arms. They'd been there for three days and things were only getting worse. Finn spent every waking minute at the hospital, coming home in the middle of the night only to sleep for a few hours and shower before leaving again. She knew Finn was avoiding her – it's just how he dealt with things. He needed time to process, and, of course, as his wife, she understood. But it wasn't just them anymore. They had a daughter who was totally and completely dependent on them. Avoiding Ashley was where Rachel drew a line in the sand, and Finn was definitely flirting with it.

"She finally went down around four this morning," Rachel said wearily, shrugging softly. "I called Dr. Leaderhandler about it, and she said Ashley was probably on a nursing strike because of the immediacy of the trip and how stressed everyone is – which is what I was afraid she was going to say. Supposedly Ashley should start again when everything is back to normal, but that won't be for a few days and she's barely eating at all no matter what I do. The best thing to do according to Dr. Leaderhandler is to try and make everything as normal as possible and let her be with whomever she wants to be with – which I've been trying to do already, so it doesn't really help. And I didn't even tell her that Ashley just said her first word and then stopped almost immediately thereafter or that she suddenly has this attachment to Finn like she just _knows_ there's something wrong with him, and I just…" she swallowed and shook her head as she tried to blink back the tears threatening to well up in her eyes, "I hate seeing her like this, and I'm so worried about the both of them, and Ashley already feels lighter, which is scaring the hell out of me, and she just cries all the time and I can't calm her down, and I have no idea what to do about anything, and-"

"Hey, hey, hey. Relax," Carole soothed, reaching up to smooth Rachel's hair. "It's ok, sweetheart. Ashley's gonna be just fine. You're doing a great job." She smiled at her daughter-in-law, who looked completely unconvinced. "Being a mother is the hardest thing in the world, Rachel. It's the most rewarding thing, but the hardest. Trust me, raising Finn was one phone call from the principal after another – largely because he was friends with Noah Puckerman, but that's a different story altogether."

Rachel laughed softly, sniffling a bit.

"Oh, honey," Carole murmured, "you're an amazing mom. The thing about kids is that, sometimes, no matter what you do or how hard you try to help them, they just need to sort things out on their own. Other times, even if they need help, they refuse to let you do it, pretty much, well… just because. You're doing everything you possibly can, Rachel. I know it's hard, sweetheart. I know how not being able to calm her down makes you feel like the worst person on the planet, and how listening to her be in any sort of distress makes your heart rip into a million pieces. I've been there, honey. Just take everything a minute at a time, and know that we're here if you need us, ok?"

"Thank you," Rachel said softly, smiling a bit. "I actually feel a lot better now."

Carole leaned in to kiss Rachel's forehead before looking down at her granddaughter.

"So she wouldn't nurse at all last night, huh?" she frowned.

"No," Rachel sighed. "No, she'd only take a bottle – _barely_." She pulled the blanket tighter around her daughter. "And to get her to even do that I had to wear one of Finn's t-shirts and wrap her in another."

"Finn couldn't get her to eat when he came back?" Carole asked worriedly. "What time _did_ he get back last night anyway?"

Biting her lip, Rachel swallowed and ran her fingertips through Ashley's fluffy hair.

"He, um…" she mumbled, "…he didn't."

Carole's brow furrowed as she looked at Rachel crossly.

"He didn't come home last night?" she asked seriously. "…At all?"

Rachel shook her head before looking up at her mother-in-law.

"No," she answered softly.

Carole sighed, shaking her head.

"No wonder Ashley's so upset," she murmured. "With everything going on, I know it's tough, but-"

Both she and Rachel looked up at the sound of the door opening and quickly shutting. Finn slowly backed into the room, watching the door almost hesitantly.

"Finn, what are you doing?" Carole asked crossly.

Finn yelped, recoiling backwards and slamming against the wall as he gaped at his mom and Rachel in shock. His eyes quickly darted away from Rachel's and back to his mom's. They were supposed to be downstairs in the kitchen with everyone else.

"What the _hell_?" he exclaimed loudly. "Don't scare me like that!"

"_Finn_!" Rachel whispered pointedly. "She's-"

Slowly opening her eyes, Ashley started to whine.

"Uh oh," Carole frowned, immediately turning to her granddaughter.

"No…" Rachel groaned quietly. She started to bounce Ashley in her arms. "Shh… it's ok, sweetie. Go back to sleep. Don't-"

Immediately Ashley started to bawl, squirming in Rachel's arms.

"…Cry," Rachel finished, sighing heavily.

Pushing against Rachel's chest with all her might, Ashley let out the loud, low keening cry that meant she wanted her daddy and him alone.

"Ashley, baby, take it easy," Rachel said almost pleadingly. "It's ok, sweetheart. Daddy's here. Daddy's right here." She looked up, her brow furrowing when she saw Finn with his back to her as he dug out a clean pair of underwear from the drawer. "Finn, can you hold her?"

"Rachel, I need to get back to the hospital," he said quietly, grabbing a clean blue polo shirt from another drawer.

Carole and Rachel exchanged questioning glances as Ashley thrashed in Rachel's arms, reaching out for Finn.

"I'm sorry?" Rachel blinked.

"I need to get back to the hospital," Finn repeated irritably, forcefully shutting the drawer with his hip as he headed for the closet to get a pair of jeans. "I'll do it later."

Rachel set her jaw, taking in a deep breath as she shifted Ashley to her shoulder. Carole put her hand on Rachel's knee and stood up off the bed; as much as she wanted to talk some sense into her son, she knew she should excuse herself from the conversation.

"Finn," Rachel called seriously as soon as the door shut. "Please come here."

"What?" he asked as he pulled on the clean polo.

"Hold her," Rachel said insistently, walking closer.

"I told you I'll do it later," Finn said, frowning. "I need to be at the hospital."

"You _need_ to be here," Rachel replied as calmly as she could, rubbing Ashley's back to try and calm her down to no avail. "You didn't come home at all yesterday, Finn. She's been crying for you all night."

"She's probably just hungry or needs a change or something," Finn shook his head, brushing past her to head for the bathroom.

Ashley reached out for him as he passed by, practically starting to scream for him when he didn't pick her up. Rachel bristled, her body tensing as she whipped around. He knew just as well as she did what Ashley's cry meant.

"_Do not_ walk away from me, Finn Christopher Hudson," she said seriously.

Finn stopped and turned to her, scowling.

"What the hell, Rachel?" he growled. "I don't need this right now. If you hadn't noticed, my grandfather is _dying_."

"And if _you_ hadn't noticed, _your_ _daughter_ **needs you**, Finn," Rachel said imploringly. "I understand you're going through a lot right now. Babe, of course I understand that, and I'm really trying to let you deal with this in your own way, but you're a father, now – you need to think of Ashley, too." She held her daughter tighter. "Listen to her, Finn. She wants her daddy. She needs _you_. I'm just asking you to hold her for a few minutes! This isn't a huge deal – all you have to do is spend five minutes with her."

Finn set his jaw and looked at Ashley, wriggling fiercely in Rachel's arms and reaching for him as she let out wail after piercing wail. His heart sank as the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. The cries were suffocating, and Rachel's intense gaze was making his stomach churn.

"I just… I can't deal with this right now, ok?" he mumbled, shaking his head.

"Can't deal with _what_?" Rachel scowled. "Being a father?"

Finn took a step back, anxiously rubbing the back of his neck.

"Look, just play with her or something, ok?" he shrugged, shaking his head as she started for the door. "She'll be fine."

"Finn," Rachel called after him. "Stop! Just talk to m-"

But he shut the door before she could finish her sentence. Rachel sighed and shook her head, wincing as Ashley let out another wail.

"It's ok, sweetheart," she murmured soothingly. "It's ok." She kissed Ashley on the top of her head and swayed from side to side. "Calm down, baby girl."

Ashley kicked her legs and outstretched her arms towards the door, her face bright red as she cried for Finn.

"Easy, easy," Rachel whispered, trying to hold Ashley so she wouldn't get kicked in the stomach. "Sweetie, calm down. I know you're upset. I know you want Daddy." She sank back down onto the bed and held Ashley against her chest, wincing as another kick hit her square in the ribs. "Hey, hey, hey," she said softly. "Relax. Just relax, baby." She rubbed Ashley's back and kissed the top of her head. "You're ok. I gottcha. I'm here, sweetie. Mommy's here. Daddy will be back soon, ok? Don't worry. He just has to go be with Grandpa Jack." She stroked Ashley's cheek and nuzzled her temple. "I know you want Daddy, but can I do for awhile? Hmm? Can I be his standby until he gets back?"

Ashley started to suck on Rachel's finger as she lay listlessly on her mother's chest, her sobs quieting. Rachel wiped the tears from Ashley's cheeks looked into her daughter's eyes for a few moments. There was no sparkle anymore; her emerald eyes were dim and sad.

Rachel sighed heavily and swallowed.

"…Didn't think so…"

**gleegleegleeglee**

Finn cleared his throat and roughly passed a hand over his eyes as he slowed the car and turned onto Briarwood Drive. He loved going to Grams and Grandpa Jack's house as a kid. It was an old plantation in Virginia, separated from other houses by acres and acres of land. They'd all go fishing in the big lake, or hunting for old artifacts from the Civil War in a creek up the road – maybe even deer watching at the crack of dawn if he was lucky. But none of that would ever happen again.

Stopping just as he turned into the long, winding driveway, Finn leaned back in his seat. He didn't want to go back. He didn't want to go back to that stupid house or the damn hospital. All he wanted to do was sit there forever and just pretend like nothing was happening – pretend that one of the most important people in his life wasn't fading away or that going back to his wife and daughter sort of made him want to die.

Finn _hated_ himself for feeling that way, but he couldn't help it. He was just so goddamn _scared_ and it was like his entire freaking life was crashing down around him and he didn't know how to do anything anymore. He couldn't face Rachel and her expectations of him, or Ashley and how much she needed him. It was like they thought he was freaking Superman or something. He wasn't Superman. He wasn't even man enough to go home when everyone was awake. He couldn't take the looks or the crying or Rachel's attempts at trying to comfort him. He just couldn't deal with it right now.

Glancing at the clock, he sighed and started back up the driveway until he reached the house. Finn turned off the car and wearily slid out of his seat, quietly shutting the car door behind him. The last thing he wanted was for Rachel to-

"Not trying to sneak into the house again, are you?"

The hair on the back of Finn's neck stood on end. His stomach churned as he looked at her reflection in the window glass. Even just seeing her there felt suffocating. He just wanted to be left alone.

"Good to see you, too," he mumbled sarcastically as he turned and started towards her.

Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open a bit.

"I… sweetheart, I was just kidding," Rachel said softly.

Sweetheart. He hated it when she called him that. She only called him "sweetheart" when something was wrong.

He brushed past her and walked into the house, dropping his keys on the counter.

"How is he?" Rachel asked worriedly.

Finn set his jaw and clenched his fist around his phone. How the hell did she _think_ he was?

"Dying," he said coolly, turning to her.

She gave him that little nod she does when she's uncomfortable – the one where she looks at the floor and shuts her eyes as she nods once before pursing her lips and looking away. A part of him felt bad about it, but everything she was doing was just irritating him more. It was like she expected him to just want to talk about everything, or to be able to fix it or something.

"What are you still doing up?" he asked.

She looked up at him and for a moment before averting her gaze, and he knew by the look in her eyes he shouldn't have said it like that because he definitely hurt her feelings. As usual, all he did was screw things up.

"I um… I was waiting for you," she said quietly, shrugging a bit. Silence fell between them for a moment before Rachel walked over to the refrigerator and opened the door. "Are you hungry? I can make you something to eat," she offered.

Finn let out a quiet sigh, relaxing ever so slightly.

"Yeah – that'd be great, actually," he conceded, finally realizing how hungry he was after not eating all day. "Thanks, Rach."

She nodded and gave him a small smile. At least that was a step. Still, she knew she needed to confront him about what happened that morning. Rachel quickly fixed him a turkey sandwich with some chips and let him eat in silence while she rinsed off the cutting board.

"Finn, we need to talk," she said after a long while.

Rachel turned to her husband, leaning back against the counter as she put down the dishtowel in her hand. He looked back at her, his eyes glinting with annoyance and maybe even a bit of animosity. The dim light over the kitchen table seemed to only blacken the dark circles beneath his eyes, which honestly made him look rather frightening, all things considered.

Dropping the last bit of his sandwich back onto the plate in front of him, Finn let out a cool laugh.

"Of course there's a catch," he snorted irritably. "Couldn't just, you know, want to make me dinner because you love me or something? 'Course not. No, you have to corner me instead."

Rachel's nose twitched ever so slightly as she forced herself not to cross her arms over her chest defensively. He probably hadn't slept in days and he was going through a lot with his grandfather in the hospital, which meant he definitely wasn't thinking straight. Plus, Finn got extremely pissy when he was upset – Rachel knew that after ten years of being with him in one capacity or another. She just needed to stay calm.

"You're the love of my life, Finn, of course I love you," Rachel said soothingly. "And I made you dinner because it's midnight and I knew you'd be hungry. Hospital food can't be all that great."

Staying silent, Finn set his crumpled napkin on the table and leaned back in his chair.

"I'm not trying to corner you," Rachel continued as she walked over to the table. "It's just that I haven't seen you a lot in the past couple of days."

Finn threw her a look.

"Understandably," she said quickly, sitting down and looking across the table at him. "I'm not judging you, Finn. I know you're going through a lot right now. I know that, ok? I told you that this morning." Rachel ran her tongue over her bottom lip pensively and took a deep breath. "I just… baby, we haven't talked at all. I know I have to be here because I have to stay with Ashley, but that doesn't mean we can't talk about what's happening. You…" she looked at him imploringly, "Finn, you need to talk about what's happening with your grandpa. You can't just keep it pent up inside. That's not good for you."

Finn said nothing, instead letting out a scoff as he shook his head and looked out the window next to him.

Rachel pursed her lips and nodded.

"Fine," she breathed. "You want to avoid talking about it, that's your call."

"Glad we cleared that up," Finn said lowly as he stood up to walk away.

Clasping her hands in front of her on the table, Rachel took a deep breath.

"But you can't avoid your daughter, Finn," she said coolly, her patience wearing thin.

"Excuse me?" Finn retorted indignantly as he spun around to face Rachel.

"I know you're going through hell with your grandpa, Finn," Rachel said seriously, but calmly, "but you _cannot_ take it out on our daughter."

"_Take it out on her_? What the hell, Rachel? You make it sound like I'm beating the shit out of her or something!" Finn growled. "And what the fuck is that supposed to mean anyway?"

"It means that what you did this morning was completely and totally unacceptable, Finn," Rachel said tensely.

"Because I didn't hold her?" Finn asked incredulously. "I already told you, I had to get back to the hospital! Look, I'm sorry if that offended you, but it's not like I hurt her or anything."

"You hurt her feelings, Finn," Rachel said, studying him closely.

"Her feelings…? _Rachel_! She's three months old!" Finn laughed. "Come on – you're being a little overdramatic here."

Rachel didn't even try to hide look of disgust on her face.

"_Yes_, Finn, her feelings. I don't care if she's three-months old – she's human and she has feelings just like everyone else. I can't believe you're just dismissing her like that!" she snapped.

"Dismissing her? Yeah, see? Overdramatic," Finn said sarcastically.

"Stop being so mean!" Rachel gaped.

"_Mean_?" Finn blinked. "You pick a fight and you're calling _me_ mean?"

"I didn't pick a fight! I tried to talk to you like an adult – like your _wife_, and you just shot me down," Rachel pointed out. "All I'm trying to do is talk to you about Ashley and the fact that there is something very wrong with her, whether you'd like to be aware of it or not."

"Whether I'd 'like to be aware of it or not'?" Finn spat. "What the fuck, Rachel? You think I want her to be in pain or something?"

"No!" Rachel shook her head, looking at him imploringly. "Finn, no! Of course not! But all she's been doing for the past few days is crying for you. And I understand why you're not here, but this morning when she was crying for you and you had the chance to hold her-"

"Would you stop going on about this morning?" Finn interjected angrily. "It's not like I meant to hurt her or anything!"

"I know, but, Finn, just _listen_ to me for five seconds!" Rachel exclaimed. "She's so upset all the time, she's on a nursing strike, and she's barely even eating at all-"

"And, what? This is my fault?" Finn narrowed his eyes at her.

"No! Oh, my God, Finn, would you please stop making this about you? This is about _Ashley_," Rachel shook her head. "This is about the fact that she _wants_ you, Finn – Ashley _needs_ you. And I understand that you can't be here all the time. Obviously I understand that, but this morning-"

"Stop!" Finn growled.

"No!" Rachel hissed. "This morning when you were actually around and you heard her crying for you – and don't play dumb with me, Finn Christopher Hudson, you knew exactly what that cry meant – all you had to do was hold her for a few minutes. You just had to be with her long enough to calm her down, and instead you just left. She's already so stressed about the trip, and all she wants to do is spend time with you, and if you could just not ignore her and be with her for even a little while she'd probably feel a lot better."

"I'm not ignoring her, I just don't have time for this right now!" Finn exclaimed.

"You don't have time for your daughter?" Rachel asked incredulously, her heart aching. "You don't have time for your baby – _our_ baby?"

"Don't," Finn sighed, forcing himself not to roll his eyes.

Tears started to well up in Rachel's eyes as she shook her head.

"How can you even say that, Finn?" she asked heartbrokenly. "What? Do you resent her because she's too young to go into the hospital to meet your grandpa? Is that what this is about? God, if it is, Finn, please, _please_ hate _me _for telling you she couldn't go, not her!"

Finn shook his head and turned to walk away.

"I don't need this," he mumbled.

"Is it because you're scared of being her dad?" Rachel called after him. "Is that it?"

Swallowing thickly, Finn quickened his pace as he headed for the door.

"Are you worried about dying because of your grandpa?" Rachel asked imploringly. "Are you scared of leaving her?"

"Stop it!" Finn yelled, his heart in his ears as he breathed heavily.

His stomach clenched as he set his jaw, stopping in the archway to the kitchen with his back to Rachel.

"Finn, just help me understand," Rachel pleaded. "Please. Just tell me what's wrong."

"You know what's wrong, Rachel?" Finn seethed, spinning on his heels to face her. "You're pinning all of this on me – telling me that I'm a horrible father and that this is all my fault. Well you know what?" He leaned in so that he was eye-level with her. "Maybe this has nothing to do with me. Maybe _you're_ the sucky parent, Rachel. Maybe you inherited a lot more of Shel-"

Finn clenched his jaw shut, recoiling backwards away from Rachel. Shaking his head, he ran his hand through his messy hair. Of all the things to say to her – of all the things he could have said, it had to be _that_.

"N-No," he stammered. "No, don't – _fuck_… nothing I just said was… none of that was true, Rachel."

"What?" Rachel hissed, a tear trailing down her cheek as she glared at him. "That I'm just like Shelby? That I'm a terrible mother who would abandon Ashley like Shelby abandoned me?"

"No!" Finn gaped, shaking his head furiously. "I'm… I'm so sorry, Rachel. I didn't mean that! I swear! It's not true! I just… I don't know what's happening right now – to me, to everything..."

"That doesn't give you the right to be a fucking asshole!" Rachel spat.

"I know!" Finn exclaimed. "I know, ok? I'm sorry! But you wouldn't leave me alone!"

Finn cringed; he definitely shouldn't have said that either.

"Oh, so this is all _my _fault?" Rachel asked incredulously. "I'm a bitch for trying to help my husband – for trying to be there for him and love him when he's being an absolute prick?"

"I didn't say that!" Finn shot back. "You were just pressuring me and I can't take it right now!"

As if on cue, Ashley's shrill cries rang through the kitchen from the baby monitor on the counter. Finn and Rachel fell silent for a moment as they listened. The sound was unmistakable. Ashley was crying for him.

The suffocating feeling from earlier returned with a vengeance, leaving Finn's head spinning as he listened to his daughter cry. Tears pricked at his eyes and a lump rose in his throat. He needed to get out of the house. He couldn't think, he couldn't move – he couldn't _breathe_.

The car keys on the counter glinted in the dim light of the kitchen. He had to. He couldn't face it. He _had_ to.

"I swear to God, Finn, if you walk out that door…" Rachel murmured coldly, her gaze fixed on the floor.

**Author's Note: Talk about your cliffhangers. Anyway, thanks for reading! Part II will be up momentarily. Really. I promise. A few hours, tops.**


	18. Hail and Farewell Part II

**Disclaimer: I don't own **_**Glee**_** or FOX.**

_**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay. Had to take my car to the dealership because the low-beam headlight decided it didn't want to- …whatever, I'm not bitter. Nope. Not. One. Bit. **_**Anyway**_**, point is: here's Part II hot off the presses. Hope you enjoy. This literally took ages to finish, so I'm celebrating by sitting on my butt, watching "The Big Bang Theory" and eating grapes. Laters. You, however, are more than welcome to read this. Bring tissues. Don't say I didn't warn you.**_

_**Hail and Farewell – Part II**_

It was probably over. Their marriage, that is. Over ten years of being together, gone. Just like that. All because he didn't have the balls to be the guy everyone needed – to be the man his wife and daughter deserved. He couldn't blame Rachel if she wanted to end things. He _did_ walk out the door. He grabbed the keys and walked right out the kitchen door, mumbling a teary "I'm so sorry" as he went. He left her alone to another sleepless night spent desperately trying to calm Ashley. And he left Ashley alone to another sleepless night without her father – without _him_. He abandoned them.

"I really screwed up, Grandpa," Finn choked, swallowing thickly as he uttered the first words he'd said since returning to the hospital three hours prior. "I left them. I left when they needed me the most. I hurt Rachel – I said terrible things to her. And I… I… Ashley…"

He fell silent for a moment, listening to the beeping of the machines in the otherwise eerily silent room.

"…She sounded so scared," he said shakily, passing a hand over his eyes. "She was so hurt and I just _left_. I was too scared to even hold her. All I had to do was hold her! All I had to do was love her and be there for her, and I couldn't even do _that_."

Finn didn't even know if Grandpa Jack could hear him while he was in a coma, but he really hoped so. He just needed someone there – someone to make him feel like he wasn't completely on his own in the world.

A soft rap on the door behind him made Finn jump in his seat. Whipping around, he saw Burt standing in the doorway, a reassuring, small smile on his face despite the fact that his eyes were red and tired.

"Burt-" Finn blinked, standing up. He quickly wiped his eyes and cleared his throat. "W-What are you doing here?"

"How's he doin'?" Burt sighed softly as he quietly closed the door behind him.

"Uh… about, um, about the same; still unresponsive." Finn replied. He let out a breath he didn't even realize he'd been holding in. "But… what… what are you doing here? It's like 3 AM."

Burt studied Finn closely. The disheveled hair, winkled shirt and scraggly whiskers – he knew that look. He'd been there years ago. It was a different scenario, but it all played out the same. The expression on Finn's face was one he'd recognize anywhere. As Finn dropped his gaze to the floor, his head drooping slightly, Burt could see the fear and utter disappointment with himself etched in Finn's dim brown eyes. For a guy who was always a leader, rallying everyone behind him even when they were at their wits' end, he looked like he'd completely given up.

"Sit down, Finn," Burt said after a long while.

"Did Rachel send you to tell me that she's leaving or something…?" Finn asked brokenly.

"One fight, one… bad day… or even bad week," Burt shook his head, shrugging as he patted the back of the chair by the bed for Finn to sit down, "I don't think it could tank a marriage like you have with Rachel."

Finn snorted mirthlessly, licking his bottom lip and shaking his head.

"She should leave me. She's got every right to," he mumbled quietly. "She could do a lot better."

"Hey!" Burt said sharply, giving Finn a soft punch to the shoulder. "Don't say that."

"It's true!" Finn growled.

"It is not and you know it," Burt shot him down. "Your grandfather is in the hospital. We all get that. We all know it's hard for you. We're trying to work with you, Finn. We'll help you in whatever ways we can – I promise you that. But don't start that – don't you dare just give up." He pulled over another chair and sat down near the foot of the bed, facing Finn. "Don't give up on your grandfather, don't give up on _you_, and most importantly: don't give up on your family – your wife and daughter, who love you more than-"

"I know they love me, ok?" Finn exclaimed, his chair flying backwards as he stood up. He ran his hands through his hair and turned his back to Burt. "That's all anyone says anymore is 'I love you', 'I love you', 'I love you'. I get it, ok? I get the point!" He leaned against the dresser, grabbing the edges and holding on as hard as he could. "I love them, too, but I just can't… I can't…" he shook his head as his voice trailed off.

"It's ok to be scared, Finn," Burt said softly.

Finn just shook his head, tightening his grip on the top of the dresser.

"What? You don't think anyone else gets scared once in awhile?" Burt pointed out gently. "It's human, Finn. Life can be pretty scary sometimes. We all need help getting through it." Standing up, he walked over and put his hand on Finn's shoulder. "Finn, it happens to everyone. We've all been there."

"You didn't walk out on your wife and Kurt when they needed you," Finn said quietly.

"Well, no, but, if my grandfather was sick in the hospital pretty soon after we had Kurt, I'd be a mess, too," Burt shrugged. "Especially if he was as important in my life as Grandpa Jack is to you."

Pulling away from Burt, Finn turned and walked to the other side of the room. He just needed space. It was like the whole world was trying to suffocate him and he couldn't get away no matter how hard he tried.

"I just don't know what's going on, you know?" Finn said dejectedly, shaking his head. "We were… we were supposed to come down here in two weeks, and-and all of a sudden we're _here_." He threw his hands up in the air exasperatedly. "He was fine and now he's just… _gone_."

"He's not gone yet, Finn," Burt tried.

"HE'S GONE!" Finn yelled, his voice cracking as he pointed at his grandfather. "He's gone, Burt! 'Cause that's not him. That's not my grandpa." A lone tear started down Finn's cheek as he gritted his teeth. "He wouldn't just give up like that!"

"Finn," Burt soothed, "people get sick. It's not about him giving up; the pneumonia is just really aggressive. Sometimes people can't get bet-"

"NO!" Finn growled, tears running down his cheeks. "Not him! Not Grandpa Jack! That's not him!" He pointed again at his grandpa before clenching his fist and screwing up his face to try and keep the tears at bay. "He wouldn't just go like this! He can't! There's so much he hasn't seen!" Chest heaving, Finn slammed his fist against the wall. "_Two weeks_! That's it! Two weeks!" He backed into the wall, his knees starting to weaken. "Two weeks and he would have seen her! His… his," Finn swallowed thickly as his body started to shake with sobs. "His great-granddaughter. _My_ daughter. My baby girl. _Two weeks_! He would've seen her! Ashley – the-the best thing to ever happen, _ever_! The next Hudson." He smiled ever so slightly. "The best one yet." His face again contorted with sorrow and guilt. "And now she'll never know him. She'll never know this great man, who-who made such a difference in my life."

Finally Finn's knees gave way from under him and he slid down the wall into a heap on the floor. Burt walked over and immediately dropped to his knees, reaching out for Finn.

"He wouldn't do that! Grandpa Jack wouldn't just-just leave with so much left to see. He wouldn't go without-without s-seeing A-Ashley," Finn cried as Burt wrapped his arms around him. "He wouldn't! Not without meeting her. He can't…"

"Finn," Burt murmured softly. "It's ok, buddy."

"He can't," Finn sobbed, desperately clinging to Burt. "He can't go! He can't leave yet. He can't… he can't leave m-me. I'm not ready yet." Finn grabbed a fistful of Burt's shirt in each hand as he cried into his shoulder. "I d-don't know how to do this. I need him. I'm not r-ready."

Burt held on tighter, leaning his head against Finn's and patted his back, trying to calm him down.

"I'm n-not ready yet," Finn whimpered heartbrokenly. "I c-can't do this alone."

"Oh, buddy," Burt soothed, "you're not alone." He pressed a kiss into Finn's messy hair. "You'll never be alone, Finn. Even if, God forbid, your grandpa doesn't recover, you'll still never be alone. You have so many people who love you, kiddo. You've got Rachel, and Ashley, and your mom. And I'm right here, bud. And you got Kurt, and Blaine, and Rosie, and all your aunts and uncles – and all of your friends and teammates. And they might not have been there as long as Grandpa Jack, but they love you just the same." Pausing for a moment, Burt took a deep breath and swallowed thickly. "Finn, I know it feels like the end of the world right now. When someone you love this much is really sick, it's the scariest thing imaginable because you can't see your life without them. It's almost impossible to even think of waking up to a day when that person isn't there, too. I went through that with my wife. I know exactly what it feels like."

Letting go of Burt's shirt, Finn sat back and quickly wiped the tears from his eyes.

"How'd you get over it?" he asked shakily.

"You never really do," Burt said candidly. "You just learn to cope with it, and eventually it gets easier to deal with." He reached up and smoothed Finn's hair. "Let me tell you a story about me and Kurt." Taking a deep breath, Burt looked at his stepson before continuing. "It was really tough after his mom died. You know, she was this incredible person – just a perfect wife and mom. She always knew what to do, and she always kept a level head no matter what. And then all of a sudden she was gone. Just like that." Tears pricked at Burt's eyes as he went on. "I couldn't even understand it at first. It was so strange to wake up and not have her there. I missed having her to talk to. I missed having someone to always back me up. And all of a sudden it wasn't a two-person parenting job, either – it was just _me_." Burt shrugged, shaking his head. "At first, I couldn't even look at Kurt without wanting to cry because he just reminded me so much of his mom. It was like everything he did, everything he was – he was her. And I hated myself for it, but I started resenting him for it for a little while there. I pulled away from him. I was, I guess, mad in a way because I felt like he kept reminding me of how much it hurt that she wasn't there. And I just went through the motions. I made him food and I made sure he was tucked in at night, but I was cold. And then one night, he came into my room crying because he'd wet the bed after a bad dream." Burt cleared his throat, wiping a lone tear from his eye before it could travel down his cheek. "And I just remember the look on his face when I turned on the light. He just looked so scared and so alone. I don't know – something just clicked for me, I guess. He _needed_ me. I was his dad. As much as I was hurting, I had to be there for him. But something else clicked, too: that I wasn't alone – that she lived on in him, and in me. And suddenly I realized that, as long as Kurt was there, I would never be alone. And even though taking care of him was a huge responsibility, and it was terrifying that I had to do that on my own, I didn't really think of that anymore, because, as long as Kurt was there, there was someone to laugh with, to smile with… to _love_."

Giving Finn a small smile, Burt squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.

"And that's the thing about losing people, is that they're never really gone. And your grandpa isn't gone yet, Finn. Don't count him out. But even if he doesn't make it, and-and, you know, even with your dad, they're never gone – they're just in your heart, your smile, your laugh – everything you do. Ashley may never get to meet her great-grandfather, but she has you, and you can teach her everything he would have. And I know this makes you think about not being there for her, too. It makes you realize how fragile life is. But you can't think about that too much, Finn. You have to go on. Just be there for your wife and daughter every day, because, really, that's all you can ever do. Life happens. Things happen. People die. But love never does. And, at the end of the day, love is all we're ever gonna have. And, Finn, you have so many people who love you, and so much love to give them in return. Trust yourself, and trust them. Family will get you through everything." Burt grinned at his stepson. "I don't know a ton, but that I'm sure of."

Looking Burt in the eyes, Finn nodded and gave him a small, appreciative smile.

"Thanks," he said earnestly. "Really. Thank you."

"It's my job, bud," Burt smiled. "Now what do you say we head back for the night? I know there's a special little girl back there who wants nothing more than to see her dad."

Finn's heart lurched at the thought of Ashley. All he wanted to do was hold his girls in his arms and never let go. He looked up at Burt and nodded.

"Let's go home."

**gleegleegleeglee**

Gravel snapped and churned underneath the tires as Finn sped up the drive to the house. He'd beaten Burt back by a mile, taking the back roads he learned years ago when Grams dragged him to the grocery store with her and refused to take the interstate that sliced right through their little town. It was so late that even the dogs that normally barked at the slightest rustle of leaves weren't interested in his arrival. The slightest glaze of snow from a harsh, lingering winter still capped the grassy earth on either side of the driveway, but it was all a haze to Finn as he sped past.

The sight of the house made his heart thud louder in his ears. Every light was off, save for one room, and he had a sickening feeling that he knew why. Pulling in next to Grandpa Jack's pickup, Finn threw the SUV into park. He almost slammed his hand in the door with how quickly he was trying to get out of the car. As fast as he feet would take him, Finn ran up to the house. He slipped on the wet asphalt in front of the stairs leading up to the kitchen door and fell to his knees, but sprung back up and jumped up the six stairs three-at-a-time. Finn stopped with his hand on the door, his heart plummeting and his breath completely knocked out of him as he heard it. It was faint, but he would know that cry anywhere.

"Oh, God, no," Finn murmured, swallowing thickly as he yanked open the door and ran inside.

The wails grew louder the closer he ran. Through the kitchen, the dining room, the foyer that no one ever knew was a foyer because no one ever used the actual front door. He skidded to a halt in front of the staircase before sprinting up the stairs, ducking on stairs six and seven so he wouldn't hit his head on the low part of the ceiling.

"I'm coming, Ash," he said to himself as he reached the top landing. "I'm coming."

**gleegleegleeglee**

Rachel winced as Ashley let out another piercing wail.

"I know, sweetheart," she murmured. "I know you want Daddy, baby, but he's not here right now."

"He'll be back soon, sweetie pie," Carole said softly. "But can you just help us out in the meantime and eat something? Hmm?"

Rachel offered the bottle to her daughter, knowing full well it wasn't going to work. She just wanted Finn; she wanted him to hold her, to feed her. Until he came back, there was absolutely nothing that was going to calm her down.

Sure enough, Ashley screamed louder at the sight of the bottle.

"Ashley, baby, it's the same milk whether daddy feeds you, Nana feeds you or I feed you," Rachel said exasperatedly. "Can't you please just eat something? You _need_ to eat, Ashley."

Another tear ran down Rachel's cheek as she looked at her daughter imploringly.

"Please, baby," she pleaded desperately. "Please just eat something. You can cry about Daddy all you want after that." Rachel choked back a stifled sob. "…Please…?"

Kicking away the bottle, Ashley wailed and thrashed in Rachel's arms.

"What, sweetie? What?" Rachel whimpered, propping Ashley against her thighs as she leaned back against the bathroom wall. "What can I do to make this better?" She brushed her fingers through Ashley's soft hair and wiped the tears from her red, chubby cheeks. "I'm trying, Ashley, but I don't know how to help you. I'm so sorry, baby. I'm so sorry."

"Rachel, honey," Carole murmured as she knelt down next to Rachel to rub her back, "you're doing everything you can, ok? I know it's really hard, sweetie, but it's gonna be ok." She brushed Rachel's tear-matted hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "Why don't you let me hold her for awhile? You could use a break, honey."

Rachel shook her head, pulling Ashley against her body again only to get kicked in the stomach.

"_She_ doesn't get one, _I_ don't get one," she said quietly.

Sighing, Carole pursed her lips as she looked around the bathroom at the discarded toys, never-touched bottles and small piles of Finn's T-shirts. She kept rubbing Rachel's back and pressed a kiss into her hair.

"I know you're never going to believe me right now," Carole said softly, "but you _are_ an amazing mom, Rachel. Never forget that."

Rachel turned her head away from Carole, trying to hide the fresh wave of tears that welled up in her eyes. How could her mother-in-law say that? She couldn't even get Ashley to stop crying, let alone take a bottle. How was she in any way "an amazing mom"? Maybe Finn was right. Maybe she was like Shel-

Rachel's head snapped up as the door flung open. Her mouth dropped open slightly at the sight of her husband, completely breathless and disheveled with tearstains still marking his cheeks. Part of her was overjoyed to see him, but another part of her – a bigger part, maybe, couldn't hide the contempt she felt from showing in her eyes.

**gleegleegleeglee**

As soon as Ashley saw him, her frantic wails grew into desperate screams. Finn paused for a split second, a lump rising in his throat when he saw his baby girl.

"Ashley," he breathed as he reached out for her. "I got her," he nodded to Rachel, who somewhat hesitantly handed Ashley to him. "Hey," he murmured, pulling Ashley tight to his chest. "Daddy's here, kiddo. Daddy's here."

The world around them disappeared for a moment as Ashley cried into his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her even tighter and pressed a few kisses into her soft hair. Walking out into the room, he sat down on the bed and bounced her in his arms.

"I know," he nodded, tears stinging his eyes. "I know, Ash. I'm so sorry." Nuzzling her temple, he leaned his head against hers. "I'm so sorry, baby girl. Daddy's here now. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere ever again – I promise."

Ashley's wails started to quiet into soft cries as she grabbed onto his collar as tightly as she could.

"Shh," Finn soothed. "It's ok, munchkin. Everything's gonna be just fine. I gotcha."

He looked up to see Rachel holding out a bottle of milk for him to take. Another fresh wave of guilt washed over him at how absolutely exhausted she looked.

"Thanks, Rach," Finn murmured softly.

All she could do was nod before turning back to go pick up the toys from the bathroom floor.

"Rachel, I'll get it," Finn called behind her. "Don't worry about it."

"Just feed her," Rachel said seriously, disappearing into the bathroom.

He bit the inside of his bottom lip, looking at the door for a few moments before turning back to Ashley.

"You hungry, kiddo?" he asked, smiling as best he could as he held tipped the bottle into Ashley's mouth.

Pushing his hand away, Ashley grunted and let out a small, soft whimper. Immediately Rachel's head appeared from behind the bathroom door. She cocked her head to one side slightly, walking out into the room towards the bed. Ashley whimpered again and outstretched one hand for her.

Giving Ashley a weary smile, Rachel shook her head a bit and dropped the toys on the floor before climbing onto the bed with her husband and daughter.

"Crazy kid," she smirked a bit, holding out her index finger for Ashley to hold.

Sure enough, Ashley grabbed onto her finger, holding on tight, before starting to suck on the bottle. Finn and Rachel couldn't help but smile at their daughter.

They stayed like that until Ashley gulped down a full bottle-and-a-half of milk and fell fast asleep in Finn's arms, sucking on Rachel's finger.

After a long while, Rachel pulled her knuckle from Ashley's mouth and smoothed her fluffy hair. Finn knew Rachel was furious at him – rightfully so – but it felt so much better to just be near her again.

"…Look, Rachel… b-before you say anything, let me just say that I'm so, _so_ sorry for the way I've been treating you – and obviously the way I've been treating Ashley, but that's a whole other issue. And also that the things I said to you earlier were so wrong and just… disgusting, and I'm so sorry that I sunk that low. None of that was _at all_ true. I was frustrated, and it's no excuse, and I know that 'sorry' isn't enough, but I really, really _am_ sorry, for what it's worth. And-and if you want us to go to counseling or whatever I'll do it. I'll do whatever it takes to keep _us_. But…" Finn paused for a moment, swallowing the rising lump in his throat, "but I totally understand if you want to leave, 'cause what I did was unacceptable and you both deserve so much better."

Tears welling up in his eyes as he looked down at his daughter, Finn shrugged to give Rachel the go-ahead to talk if she wanted to.

Rachel studied him closely. She wanted to be furious with him. She wanted to yell at him because of what he put both she and Ashley through the past few days. She wanted to slap him for what he said to her in the kitchen earlier that night. And, honestly, she probably had every right to do all of the above. But, looking at him, he knew what he'd done, and he knew how wrong it was. It didn't make any of it excusable or even remotely ok, but at least that was a step in the right direction. And that was her Finn – the guy who sometimes messed up (because, be honest, everyone does), but always made amends.

"I'm not going to leave you, Finn," Rachel said quietly.

The look on his face kind of broke her heart. He really _was_ terrified she was going to grab Ashley and go. His hands were even shaking a bit.

"And I don't think we have to go to counseling, but I appreciate the gesture," Rachel continued. She reached out and brushed her fingertips against Finn's cheek. "And I appreciate that you knew what you did was wrong, and that you're trying to fix it. That does mean a lot."

"…But…?" Finn prompted hesitantly.

Rachel shrugged, nodding a bit.

"But," she went on, "I need you to just hear me out for a second, ok? I know this week has been horrible for you. Really, I _do_ know that, Finn. And I know it's probably been a little weird just because I have to stay here and I couldn't be there with you like I normally would. I know that probably put more stress on the situation than-"

"Rachel, you had to stay with Ashley – I know that," Finn shook his head. "I would never blame y-"

"I know," Rachel nodded. "I know, Finn. Just… let me finish, ok?"

Averting his gaze to the bed, Finn gave her a small nod.

"I'm just trying to say that I know this situation would already be hard without having a new baby and the responsibilities that that entails," Rachel explained. "But we do." She looked at Finn, biting the inside of her bottom lip to keep it from trembling. "We do, Finn. We have a little baby girl who is completely and totally dependent on us."

Finn opened his mouth to speak, but Rachel held out her finger.

"Let me finish," she said seriously, although her voice trembled slightly. Rachel took a deep breath and swallowed thickly before continuing. "I know she hasn't been here long. Three months really isn't a ton of time compared to how long we've been together as just us. And I understand that sometimes it gets really hard." She cleared her throat and blinked back tears. "Believe me, Finn – I know that. I mean of course there are nights that I'm so exhausted, I just want to pull the blankets over my head and go back to sleep when she cries because she's hungry or needs a diaper change or whatever. Those days when, for whatever reason, she has an upset stomach or she's colicky – those days can be really, really hard. And Ashley is an easy baby – we both know that. She doesn't have many of those days. Most of the time she's just this little smiling ball of fuzzy hair and laughs."

Both she and Finn smiled a bit at that.

"But we signed up for the whole package," Rachel said seriously, her smile fading as her eyes glistened with tears. "When we decided to become parents, that's what we bargained for. And we got one _incredible_ daughter. But it _is_ a _huge_ responsibility. Believe me – I get that. But we knew that. Going in we knew our lives would change forever." Wiping her eyes, Rachel looked up at the ceiling for a moment so she wouldn't have to look into Finn's puppy-dog eyes. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that, we brought her into this world. We made her. We're responsible for her. A corollary to that being that she comes first – that her wellbeing needs to be considered above everything else because she _is_ ours, and she _is_ totally helpless without us."

Finn's heart plummeted as Rachel stopped, cupping her hand over her mouth for a moment to stifle a whimper. When he tried to put his hand on her arm, she shrugged him off and shook her head.

"I really don't want to say this to you, Finn – I don't – because," Rachel said shakily, "because I love you with all my heart, and no matter what I always will. But I have to say this, because it's not just us anymore; I have to say this because we're her mother and father now. And this whole thing, this was just chaos and there were a lot of things wrong on both sides of the equation, so the blame isn't solely on anyone." She drew in a sharp breath, trembling as tears ran down her cheeks. "But this – this whole experience made me-" Rachel swallowed back a sob, "made me realize… w-where I'd… where I'd draw the line… between us…"

Finn silently gasped for air, his stomach churning wildly.

"And I don't want to say that, Finn!" Rachel sniffed. "I don't want to ever think about it! But you can't ignore her, Finn – you can't! She needs to be loved and cared for, and when I told you she wasn't eating, you pretty much just charged right out the door. I mean, for God sakes, Finn, she stopped _eating_! She's three-months old, honey – that's really, really dangerous. She was _that_ upset. Ashley was telling you, I was telling you – everyone was, and you just didn't want to listen. But it doesn't work that way anymore." Rachel reached down and put her hand on Finn's thigh. "And I know this was a terrible couple of days for you, and that you love being a father more than anything in the world, but you can't do that, Finn. You just can't. As bad of a time as you may be having, putting her in harm's way, albeit unintentionally, is wrong. And I don't ever want anything to happen to _us_, but I _will not _let you do that to our daughter. Do you understand me?"

Finn nodded quickly, tears in his eyes.

"I know you know it was wrong," Rachel continued. "I know that. And you're fixing it. But you weren't here, Finn. You didn't see her. You didn't see what it did to her. Now, you can always be mad at me. I mean I'd obviously prefer you not to be, but, you know, we're husband and wife. We'll fight from time to time – that happens. You can give me the cold shoulder about some things, and I'll probably do the same to you. That's just how relationships work sometimes. People disagree. But the one person that can never be brought into it, is her. Ok? No matter what. And I'm not talking about this week or saying this because of you; I mean this for both of us. You've had to deal with more than your fair share of weird moods and annoyances from me, too. I'm fully aware of that, believe me. It's just that things changed when she was born, you know? We have to raise her; part of that is being there for her no matter what. And it'll get easier as she gets older, I'm sure, because she'll be able to be more independent, but for right now it's all on us." She reached up and smoothed Finn's hair. "So, I want us to promise each other that we'll always put our kids first. Fights, bad days, whatever – it can all wait. We have to be there for them come hell or high water – the both of us."

"I promise," Finn breathed, swallowing thickly.

"I promise, too," Rachel nodded.

Silence fell between them for a moment as the tension in the room dissipated. Finn could barely even meet Rachel's eyes, but the familiar feeling of her fingertips running through his hair gave him the courage to look up at her.

"But just as important as making sure Ashley is ok, is _our_ relationship – _our marriage_," Rachel said softly. "I love you more than anything Finn. You know that. And I know I had to be here with Ashley, but I'm sorry I couldn't figure out how to help you more this week. That's on me, ok? I shouldn't have pressured you as much as I did, and I should have found a way to help you. You wouldn't have said that stuff earlier if I didn't push you so hard. And, honestly, I kind of did it because I was angry with you and I wanted to lash out. 'Sorry' really doesn't cut it, because what I did was wrong, but I'm so sorry I hurt you like that. I really am, Finn."

"Rachel, you wouldn't have done that if I hadn't been so distant," Finn shook his head.

"Maybe not," Rachel shrugged. "But that doesn't mean it was ok for me to do it." She brushed her knuckles back and forth across Finn's cheek. "Look, the point is that we both screwed up. No one person is at fault here, ok? What's done is done, and we both recognize what happened and know where to start to fix it. Now that all of that has been said, I just want us to move past this. I just… want us to be ok." She looked into his eyes imploringly. "Are we ok?"

Silently Finn pulled over the bassinet at the side of the bed and sat up to put Ashley inside. She looked the most peaceful he'd seen her in a long while as he kissed her forehead and gently laid her down. Turning back to Rachel, he looked at her for a moment before a smile broke out on his face. His heart warmed when she smiled back and snuggled against his body after her opened his arms and hugged her close.

"Babe, I don't think we'll ever _not_ be ok," Finn smirked. "With all we've been through, I think it's, like, against the laws of nature or something."

**gleegleegleeglee**

"Finn?"

With a razor in his right hand and his left covered in shaving cream, Finn popped his head out of the bathroom at the sound of Rachel's voice. A wave of guilt washed over him when he saw a bottle tucked under Rachel's shoulder and Ashley squirming in her arms. She'd calmed down for the most part, but she still was far from normal.

"She's still not eating, huh?" he asked quietly.

Rachel shook her head.

"She won't latch on no matter what I do," she sighed. "Can you feed her? She's really hungry and she'll take a bottle if you-"

"Yeah. Yeah, of course," Finn nodded. "Let me just wash this stuff off."

He quickly doused his chin and cheeks with water and buried his face in a dry towel before dropping it by the sink and heading out of the bathroom.

"C'mere, kiddo," he said as he gently took Ashley into his arms. "Why won't you let Mommy feed you, munchkin? Hmm? You always want Mommy to feed you, Ash. You pout every time I give you a bottle in the middle of the night at home."

"Finn," Rachel mumbled quietly, handing him the bottle.

Heart sinking, he tipped the bottle into Ashley's mouth without so much as a whimper from her. The saddest part, honestly, was seeing Rachel's face. What they had yelled at one another in the kitchen the night before was long forgotten and really hadn't even made a lasting impact. But screwing up the bond that Rachel had with their daughter? That was by far the worst thing he could have ever done. And that was exactly what he did.

"Rach, I'm sure she'll go back to nursing when we get home," Finn tried. "I'm sure this whole trip and the new surroundings and stuff just sort of-"

"Yeah," Rachel nodded, clearly trying to change the subject. "Yeah, I'm sure she will."

They were silent for a moment as Rachel awkwardly hugged her arms around her body while she watched Ashley nestle against Finn's chest.

"I'm sorry, Rachel," Finn said after a long while.

Rachel shook her head and pursed her lips before clearing her throat.

"Don't be," she said, starting to head past them for the bedroom door. "I, uh, I'm gonna head downstairs. Her blanket is probably finished drying. Just try to get her to fall asleep before you head back to the hospital. The less time she's without you until we meet up for lunch, the better."

"I love you," Finn called after her; it was the only thing he could think of to do.

"You, too," Rachel nodded as she walked out into the hallway.

Finn groaned inwardly and sighed.

"Daddy messed up big time," he mumbled as he looked into Ashley's wide emerald eyes.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Finn practically ran towards the SUV as Burt pulled it into the loading area just outside of the small geriatric hospital. As soon as the car stopped he opened the rear passenger side door, right by Ashley's car seat. Rachel gasped playfully.

"Who's that?" she teased, tickling Ashley's belly. "Huh, baby girl? Who's that? Is that Daddy?

At the sheer sight of Finn, Ashley started to kick, squirm, and reach for him.

"Hey there, munchkin," Finn beamed as he unbuckled her seatbelt to pull her up into his arms. "How ya doin'?"

Ashley nestled against his chest and grabbed as much of his shirt collar as her tiny hands could manage.

"It's good to see you, too, kiddo," Finn murmured happily. "Were you good for Mommy?"

"Very good," Rachel nodded proudly, smoothing Ashley's hair. "She didn't cry once."

"That's my girl," he smiled at Ashley before looking up at everyone. "Are you guys ready to go get lunch?"

"Yeah – we're good to go," Rachel said. "Do you have the address and stuff?"

"Uh, yeah, it should all be on my phone," Finn nodded. "That and the reservation number and stuff. Let me get it out… hold on a second…"

Rachel climbed out of the car as Finn dug around in his pockets.

"Where's my phone…?" Finn blinked, looking at Rachel crossly. "I had it, like, five seconds ago."

"It's not in your jeans? Jacket pocket, maybe?" Rachel suggested.

"Nope," Finn shook his head. "Where did I last…?" His eyes widened. "Oh, crap – I left it on the bedside table in the room."

"You should probably go get it, honey," Carole said as she got out of the car. "You have Uncle Mike's text with the directions to the place on your phone. They'll be here any minute, and I guess we could follow them over, but I'd rather have them in case we get separated."

"That's probably a good idea," Aunt Sophie agreed as she, Uncle Tom and Aunt Sophie walked up to them from where they'd been waiting with Finn by the hospital entrance. "It's not that complicated, but Google Maps won't do you any favors."

Groaning quietly, Finn looked at his wife, who just bit back a smile.

"Family's orders," she teased. "You can't argue with that."

"If Ashley freaks out, it's on you guys," Finn said, only half kidding.

"Baby, she'll be fine," Rachel shrugged. "Just run in and get your phone. Don't worry."

Finn nodded and let out a small sigh before reluctantly pulling Ashley away from his chest. Immediately Ashley let out a sharp yelp.

"Ash, it's ok, kiddo," Finn soothed as his heart sank. "It's ok. I'm just going to get my phone. It won't take long at all."

Her face contorting with sobs, Ashley started to wail as Finn handed her off to Rachel.

"It's ok, sweetie," Rachel tried. "Don't worry. Daddy will be right back." She looked up at Finn. "Go, baby. The faster you go, the faster you come back."

Finn hesitated for a moment, heart plummeting at the sight of his baby girl so upset.

"…Ok," he reluctantly agreed as Uncle Mike's blue Chevy SUV pulled up on the far side of their car.

It seemed like the further Finn got from Ashley, the louder she cried. Every step tore him up inside more and more. Honestly, it made him want to cry, hearing her like that. She sounded so vulnerable – so scared. Still, he didn't dare look back or he'd never keep going. Rachel was right. The quicker he got to the phone, the faster he'd be holding Ashley again.

"Ashley, Ashley, baby, calm down," Rachel said softly as Ashley writhed in her arms. "Sweetie, he'll be right back. Don't worry."

Ashley screamed loudly, jamming her hands against Rachel's chest and pushing away as hard as she possibly could.

"Ashley, stop," Rachel grunted, trying to keep her grip on her daughter so she didn't fall. "You're gonna hurt yourself."

She turned so her back was to Finn so that Ashley would at least try to lean into her body to reach out for him instead of fighting to get away from her.

"Relax, baby," Rachel murmured as she rubbed Ashley's back. "Just relax. He'll be back in a few secon-"

"DAAAAAAAAAADDDDDYYYYYY!"

Finn skidded to a halt, whipping around to see Ashley, beet-red in the face, reaching out for him as hard as she possibly could. She did it. She said it.

"Oh, my God, Ashley," he breathed.

He took off at a run, dodging a few nurses who also went speeding past as a faint alarm sounded in the distance.

"DAAAAADDYY!" Ashley wailed again.

"I'm coming, Ash," he called as he ran over.

Rachel quickly handed Ashley off to Finn when he stopped just in front of her.

"I'm here, kiddo," he murmured as he hugged Ashley tight against his chest. "Daddy's here."

Even with her hysterical cries and the fact that they were at a hospital, he couldn't keep a smile from breaking through. She said it. She said "Daddy". He was her _Daddy_.

"Daddy," Ashley whimpered against his shoulder.

Warmth spread throughout his body as he rested his head against hers.

"I gotcha, Ash," he soothed. "Daddy's right here."

Finn looked up at Rachel with a beaming smile on his face. She tried to give him the widest smile she could muster. She honestly did, but hearing Ashley say "Daddy" just reminded her of how much she missed hearing her say "Mommy". Smile fading, Finn bit the inside of his bottom lip.

"Rachel, I-" he shook his head. "I didn't… I… I'm sorry."

"For what?" Rachel shrugged, playing it off. "Don't be ridiculous…" she mumbled quietly, her voice trailing off and brows furrowing as she looked through the sliding glass doors of the hospital.

"Rachel?" Finn said crossly.

"Daddy," Ashley whimpered again, grabbing onto his shirt collar.

"I'm here, munchkin," he said, still watching his wife as the sound of the sliding glass doors opening met his ears. "Rachel what are you-?"

He saw Aunt Phoebe cup her hand over her mouth out of the corner of his eye, and Aunt Sophie bury her face in her hands while Uncle Mike rubbed her back. An eerie silence came over what was moments ago an otherwise loud family gathering.

"Finn…" Rachel breathed, putting her hand on his arm and nodding towards the entrance to the hospital.

He studied her closely for a moment before slowly turning around, goosebumps rising on every inch of skin. At the sight of Dr. Goodman, breathing heavily from running to catch them before they left, Finn hung his head. And just like that, it was over. A singular life that meant the world to so many people was gone.

Grandpa Jack had died.

That same crushing feeling started to return – the one that made Finn's head feel like it was going to explode if he didn't just run away from everyone and everything. His breathing grew shallow and his heart started to pound in his ears.

But suddenly he felt Rachel's hand on his back, and then Ashley's tiny fingers against his collarbone as she played with the hem of his sweater. Turning around, he wrapped his arm around Rachel and pulled her close. Finn hugged her as tightly as he possibly could and lowered his head in between Rachel and Ashley's.

He didn't know how long they stayed like that. He got lost in the feeling of Rachel rubbing circles on his back and Ashley breathing against his cheek. Nothing needed to be said. It was just love. Love in its purest form. It was family. It was his family.

Burt was right; he wasn't alone after all. Far from it, really.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"You know if, uh, if Ashley hadn't said 'Daddy' when she did I would've been in there… I-I would've had to, uh… see it happen…"

Finn sighed, sitting down beside Rachel on the edge of the large brick planter box lining the sidewalk outside the hospital. Almost reflexively, she wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"…Is it weird to maybe think that… I don't know… happened for a reason, or something…?" he asked somewhat sheepishly.

"Of course not, baby," Rachel murmured. "That's not weird at all." She kissed his shoulder and tilted her head slightly to smile at Ashley, who was resting calmly against his chest. "But, I mean, weird stuff happening with _her_?" Rachel teased, trying to make her husband smile. "God, I would've never guessed. You know, saying two words before most babies can even lift their heads is totally and completely one-hundred percent normal."

Finn laughed.

"Yeah, you are pretty weird, aren't you, munchkin?" he smirked amusedly, looking down at his daughter. Hugging Ashley closer, he rested his head against hers. "It's ok, Ash; we like you that way, 'cause we're weird, too."

"We're just weird together," Rachel smiled against Finn's shoulder as she ran her fingertip over the bridge of Ashley's nose.

"That's like… the understatement of the century," Finn smiled.

"Poor kid," Rachel chuckled. "She was doomed from the start to have really, really strange genes."

"You kidding me? Kid's got rock star genes," Finn grinned. "We may be strange, but we're awesome."

Rachel snorted amusedly and laughed into his shoulder.

"Yeah, sure," she nodded. "Because that's exactly what she's gonna think when she's a teenager and you beam some poor kid with a football before her first date."

"_Hey_," Finn said insistently, trying not to smile. "There will be no dating for this one. Ever. She's _my _Ashley. Mine. …Well… and yours. But that's it – nobody else's."

Ashley let go of Finn's collar and outstretched her arm towards her mother.

"Keeeeeep tellin' yourself that, Hudson," Rachel intoned as she reached up to hold Ashley's hand.

"It's true," Finn said.

"Mhmm," Rachel bit back a laugh. "Ok."

"Mommy…"

Rachel's ears perked up and she lifted her head off of Finn's arm to smile at her daughter.

"Hey," Finn beamed. "Good girl, Ash!"

But Ashley wasn't paying even the slightest bit of attention. She looked at Rachel pleadingly, reaching out for her.

"C'mere, baby girl," Rachel murmured as she brought Ashley into her arms.

Ashley immediately went limp on Rachel's chest as an ear-to-ear grin spread across the little girl's face.

Leaning over, Finn nuzzled Rachel's ear and kissed her cheek.

"I think she's back," he whispered.

Rachel leaned her head against Ashley's and smiled at him.

They stayed like that for a long while, just as a family. Even amidst all the sadness of the day, Finn still found himself happy because he was with the people he loved most in the world. What once felt like his world falling to pieces was really just growing up. But he was ok in the end. Actually, he was more than ok. Finn's heart was still aching, but he knew there wasn't anything that he couldn't handle with Rachel and Ashley there to help him along the way.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"You know, I used to do this when I was little."

Ashley looked up at him crossly.

"I know, right?" Finn smirked. "Hard to believe, but I was actually tiny once, too." He kissed her forehead before pulling on her beanie. "Grandpa Jack used to wake me up really early in the morning. And we'd get all bundled up because it was really cold here when we'd come for Christmas break. Now it's not so bad, but it's still a little nippy so we'll bundle you up anyway," Finn said as he zipped up Ashley's coat.

He picked her up in his arms off the sage-green kitchen counter and gave her an Eskimo kiss before she nestled down against his chest.

"You ready?" Finn asked softly, pulling the edges of his jacket around the both of them before zipping it up halfway. "Ok, Ash – let's rock."

The cool early-spring air blustered into the house as soon as he opened the kitchen door. It wasn't quite sunrise yet. The first rays were beginning to filter through the dense tree line just beyond the pasture behind the house. Even the lake was starting to shimmer with light. It was just how Finn remembered it from all those years ago when Grandpa Jack first took him deer watching at sunrise. Except, this time, it was a whole new generation of Hudsons. This time it was Finn's turn.

"You ok, Ash?" Finn asked, hugging Ashley tighter to make sure she wasn't shivering. "Not too cold? I mean, it's not nearly as cold as New York, but Mommy kind of always goes a little overboard on the bundling-you-up thing because she thinks you're gonna be freezing cold even if it's, like, ninety degrees outside. But she does it because she loves you more than anything." He smiled down at Ashley. "We both do. Really, Ashley, you're the best thing that's ever happened to us. And I definitely owe you a 'thank you' for… you know, that thing you did at the hospital yesterday."

Stopping, Finn looked at his daughter in the dim sunlight.

"Really, that would have been… hard, you know?" he nodded, shrugging. "Thanks for the accidentally-on-purpose 'Daddy' thing."

"Daddy," Ashley repeated.

Finn smiled amusedly.

"Yeah, I know, you wouldn't tell me if you had super secret 'I actually understand all of you, but I'm just playing cute' ninja skills, anyway," he nodded. "Got it."

"_Daddy_," Ashley said, this time more insistently.

"Oh, right," he nodded, starting to walk again. "C'mon, kiddo."

It was a short walk the rest of the way to the old wooden fence between the edge of the yard and the pasture behind the house. Grandpa Jack would pick him up and sit him on the top of the fence, and they would wait there in silence to watch a few deer pass by as they grazed.

"Here we are," Finn said quietly as he leaned against one of the fence posts.

Ashley lifted her head from his chest for a moment to look around. It made Finn smile when he found her to be particularly interested in watching a little white butterfly land on his arm, right by her face.

"That's a butterfly, Ash," he whispered. "If you're really, really still…" he paused, letting go of her with one hand to slowly stick his finger in front of the butterfly, "you might be able to get it-"

Smiling as the butterfly climbed onto his finger, he then moved his hand so the butterfly was right at Ashley's shoulder. With a quick flutter of its wings, it jumped from his finger to her upper arm.

"…to land on you," Finn finished, grinning.

Ashley let out a small gasp in shock, her eyes wide.

"It's ok, munchkin," Finn soothed. "Mr. Butterfly won't hurt you, I promise. He's your friend; he just wants to say 'hi'."

As quickly as he came, the butterfly was away again.

"There he goes," Finn murmured. "Can you say 'bye' to Mr. Butterfly? Hmm?" He waved his hand, trying to get Ashley to imitate him. "Wave bye-bye."

Sure enough, Ashley mirrored him with a shaky wave of her hand.

"Good job, Ash!" Finn beamed. "That's great!"

Ashley suddenly stopped waving and recoiled backwards a bit, her eyes flying open as her jaw dropped slightly. Finn looked at her crossly for a moment before looking over his shoulder.

"Holy…" he breathed, fighting the urge to jump back as well at the sight of a huge deer buck walking not seven feet from them on the other side of the fence.

They watched on in silence for a long while. A young calf soon followed the buck out into the pasture, accidentally bumping into him when he stopped to graze. It kind of reminded Finn of he and Ashley, which made him smile from ear-to-ear. She played with his collar while they watched the deer graze in the morning sunlight. It truly was a beautiful sight. But, by far the best part was holding Ashley in his arms and seeing her face as she took in everything around her. Seeing her experience all of this for the first time, even if she didn't exactly know what it all meant, was incredible. Finn couldn't help but hope that that was sort of what his grandpa felt when they went deer watching on those cold mornings years ago – the huge surge of love and pride that came from passing on old traditions and seeing the world through the eyes of someone so… well, _pure_. Now he kind of understood what Rachel felt when she held Ashley for the first time – that realization that she didn't judge. Ashley was there to love and be loved. Clean and simple. That was her gift: love beyond anything they'd ever known. It didn't matter who they were, what they did, what they wore or what they looked like. They were her mommy and daddy, and she was their munchkin. Weird, perfectly normal; cheerleader or glee club captain; it didn't matter. They were a family, and that would never change.

Finn pushed back Ashley's beanie enough to kiss her forehead and nuzzle her temple.

"I love you more than… more than you'll ever know," he murmured, swallowing thickly. "Definitely more than I'll ever be able to tell you. But I love you that much. More, even. Literally to infinity and beyond and back an infinite number of times."

"Daddy…" Ashley cooed.

"That's me," Finn smiled proudly, looking at his daughter. "The luckiest Daddy in the universe with the best daughter anyone could ever have. You know – expect your mommy, because she's just awesome on all accounts and she was your Grandpas' daughter. But… between you and me, I think you might have her beat."

He winked at Ashley and grinned. She just smiled back, giggling.

A twig snapping nearby made both Finn and Ashley look up in surprise to see Rachel wincing apologetically.

"Sorry," she said quietly. "I just saw you guys from the kitchen, and I didn't realize you two were-"

"Missing you?" Finn smiled. "Of course we were. We always miss Mommy when she's not around, don't we, Ash?"

Rachel's cheeks reddened slightly as she studied a leaf near her foot before looking up to give her husband a sweet smile.

"Having a moment," she finished.

"C'mere," Finn said, reaching out to pull Rachel against his chest.

"Hi, sweetie," Rachel smiled at her daughter.

"Mommy," Ashley beamed.

Rachel laughed, leaning her head against Finn's chest as she stroked Ashley's cheek with her fingertips.

"_Now_ we're having a moment," Finn smirked.

Standing on her toes, Rachel kissed him.

"Good morning," she said softly.

"Mmm," he grinned, slowly opening his eyes. "You're right. It is a good morning."

"Dork," Rachel rolled her eyes teasingly.

"We were deer watching," Finn informed her excitedly.

"I can see that," Rachel nodded. "How'd it go?"

"Super cool, right, Ash?" Finn smiled. "We saw a butterfly and a daddy deer with a baby deer, didn't we?" He looked at Rachel. "We were gonna invite you, but I felt bad waking you up. You looked really cute when you were asleep and I-"

"No," Rachel said softly. "You had Daddy-daughter bonding time. That's much more fun, right, sweetie?"

Ashley reached out for Rachel and let out a keening whine.

"But not more fun than food," Finn laughed.

"Sorry," Rachel said somewhat amusedly, looking up at Finn with a playful pout.

"Ahh, it's ok," he said softly as they turned to walk back up towards the house. "I mean, can you blame her? Ash will probably have a better view with you than she'll ever have out here."

"_Finn!_" Rachel scolded, trying to stifle a giggle as she playfully kneed him in the butt.

"Hey! Watch it," he laughed. "Baby on board!" He threw Rachel a teasing sideways glance. "And I thought you liked my puns about your boobs? Kurt told me that in high school."

Rachel's face turned bright red as she bit the inside of her bottom lip.

"So you _do_," Finn smirked triumphantly.

"Oh, my God," Rachel rolled her eyes. "Just hand over the baby and I won't kick you in the butt again. And that wasn't a pun, by the way!"

Finn smiled to himself and gently lowered Ashley into Rachel's arms.

"Admit it," he intoned playfully. "You luuuuuvvveee me."

Rachel bit back a smile, stopping on the stairs to turn and look at her husband, who was looking up at her from the other side of the banister.

"I do," she said sweetly, leaning in to kiss him. "I really," she said before kissing him, "really," another kiss, "do," and another.

As she started to pull away, Finn groaned in protest.

"Mmm," he pouted. "No. Good kiss. More."

"I can't," Rachel smirked playfully. "I have to go feed _your_ daughter, Hudson."

"Ugh," Finn sighed, tipping his head back and looking up at the sky with an amused smile on his face. "Kiss-blocked _and_ boob-blocked by my own kid. The things I do for love."

His whole body felt warm at the sound of Rachel's cackling laugh. God, he really loved that sound.

"Hey - wait a second," he called after her, realization hitting him. "Why is it that she's always _my_ kid when she's hungry?"

**Author's Note: Ok, so thanks for reading. Feel free to drop a review on your way to the next story. Please. Pretty please? With rainbow sprinkles on top?**


	19. Like Pirates With Mickey Ears

Disclaimer: I don't own _Glee _or FOX.

**Author's Note: Geez. Ok. Well… um… God, I'm crying just writing this. Ok. This story wasn't supposed to go on – this whole collection of drabbles was just going to stop because it physically hurts, it fucking **_**burns**_** to even look at any of these stories now. And my muse is just **_**gone**_**, and I really don't know if it'll ever come back. But, um, it was brought to my attention by a friend and fellow Gleek that it's, uh, it's up to us now; it's up to the fanfiction writers to carry on these characters – to give them the lives they deserve no matter how cruel the real world can be. So I'm gonna suck it up and do that – for you, for Cory, for Lea and maybe for me, too.**

** But, before I get into all of the technical aspects of how this collection is going to continue for the foreseeable future, I want to say some things about Cory and Lea and this story and what it means to me and all of that stuff, and if you don't want to read it, then you don't have to. But it's important to me, and I have to say it. So, here:**

_**For the past four years, I watched **_**Glee**_**. I fell in love with it and the dorkiness and the charaters and Finchel and everything about it because it was perfectly imperfect. And in that time these characters became family to me. When I was alone or sad or my world was falling apart around me, I ran away into these stories and they were my **_**home**_**. These characters – these people are as much family and friends to me as are the people in my own reality. And for me this whole thing, Cory's loss and Lea's sadness, it's like losing my whole family. Because I feel like I haven't just lost him and her smile, and Finchel, but all of these characters, too. It feels like they were all just destroyed in the blink of an eye. And any characters in any other non-Glee stories that had any resemblance to Cory whatsoever died, too. It's like everything I've built my life on for the past four years is just **_**gone**_**. It's gone and I don't know if it will ever come back. And it's totally ridiculous because I never met the guy, but, God, I feel like I've lost a best friend. Because in a way, I did. I lost many friends. Because each of these people, these characters, **_**my**_** characters had a bit of Cory, of Finn and as soon as he was gone… **_**poof**_**. They were, too. These people that I built, I grew with, that **_**I was responsible for**_**. It's like they're just gone now. That's what it feels like, anyway. It feels like the world got turned totally upside down overnight, and I want nothing more than to just grab it and spin it back around and make everything ok again. But I can't. I just can't.**_

_** But what I can do is keep writing these. I don't know how often, or how long they'll be. It'll never be the same. These characters will never be the same. But it's our job now to give Finn and Rachel the ending they deserve – to give them a full, happy life. To try to give them back even an ounce of the happiness and love they've given us. So that's what I'm going to try and do. I owe them so much. I owe Cory so much. I owe the entire damn show so much. And I'm gonna try to honor that, no matter how many tears it takes.**_

** Ok, so, that being said and, like, 400 tissues later, this is how it's gonna go: these are going to be either a) short excerpts of things I've already written or b) new little additions. They will once again be in random order. Don't count on long chapters, because the muse just ain't what she used to be. If any bits are related I'll reference that in the Author's Note. I can't promise you they'll be any good, but I'll try.**

** And also: thank you so much for reading, guys. (And for sticking with my cathartic outpouring of tons of feels that I just need to get out in this chapter…) You're my family, too. What is an author without an audience, right? Just hold on, guys. Give it time to heal. We'll be ok one day. I know we will. And a special thanks to ItsaGleeThing, without whom this whole story would be over. Ok, so, without any more tears or technicalities:**

**Like… Pirates, You Know? Just… With Mickey Ears…**

"Daddy?" Ashley called.

"Yeah, sweetheart?" Finn answered, looking up at her as he poured more gumdrops into a bowl on another table.

"Can we have more Kisses please?" she asked.

"Of course," he smiled, walking over to her. He knelt down and pressed a few kisses into her hair.

"Not _those_ kisses, Daddy!" she giggled.

"Oh," he said playfully. "The chocolate kind. You can have those, too." He grabbed the bag from the supply table and poured them into the almost-empty bowl of Hershey's Kisses on the table.

Finn had been helping out in her class all morning. It was the day the kids were to be let out for winter break and the parents always put together some fun crafts and games for them since they had a noon early dismissal. He and Rachel traded off every year now that both Chris and Ashley were in school. She was down the hall helping Chris and the other three-year-olds in his class make decorated gingerbread cookies, and he was helping Ashley and the rest of her class decorate gingerbread houses.

"Wow," Quinn smiled at her goddaughter. "That's a very pretty gingerbread house, honey."

"Thanks, Aunt Quinn!" Ashley beamed.

"What about mine, Mommy?" Logan, Quinn and Puck's six-year-old son, smiled.

"Very cool," she grinned. Her smile faltered a bit when she saw the frosting and chocolate stains all over his uniform shirt and pants.

"Look," Logan pointed at his house excitedly. "It's me and Melanie playing fetch with Buster. And it's you and Daddy wrestling."

Finn choked back a laugh, trying desperately to make it sound like a coughing fit. Quinn's face went pale. Logan and Ashley looked at one another quizzically.

"That's great, honey," she said, a big smile plastered on her face. "Why don't we, uh, decorate the chimney?"

"Daddy, look," Ashley smiled, taking the roof off her house.

"Whoa," Finn's eyes widened. "Sweetheart, that's fantastic!"

Inside were snowmen versions of her, Rachel, Chris, Sammy, and himself. He and Rachel were standing by a menorah and a Christmas tree, Chris was holding a present under the tree, and Ashley was sitting at a makeshift pretzel-piano with Sammy lying under the bench.

"I made it for you and Mommy," Ashley smiled.

"Really?" Finn smiled. "That's very kind of you." He kissed her cheek. "I love it, Ash. Mommy will, too."

"Is everyone almost finished decorating?" Ms. Packer asked, looking around her class.

A chorus of "yes, Ms. Packer" filled the room. Finn looked at his watch to see that it was almost noon. A small sideways smirk crept across his face at the thought of the big surprise he and Rachel had planned for the kids. They had been planning everything for months, and the day was finally here.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"And then we ate the latkes you made for Daddy to bring in and played the dreidel game," Ashley continued recounting her entire morning as she watched her Mommy make lunch. "It was really fun, but I kept having to explain the rules because I was the only one in my group who knew how to play."

"She kept winning, too," Finn added as he took the deli turkey from the fridge. "She spun a Nun, Gimel, or Hei every time."

"But Daddy kind of ate most of my chocolate gelt," Ashley added, laughing.

Rachel looked at her husband and rolled her eyes teasingly.

"Daddy's such a goofball isn't he?" she smiled at her daughter.

"Big time," Ashley nodded.

"But that's why we love him," Rachel grinned, leaning in to give Finn a sweet kiss.

"Eww," Ashley grimaced.

"Eww?" Rachel laughed. "What's so yucky about Daddy and I kissing?"

"Boys have cooties," Ashley answered matter-of-factly.

"Hey!" Chris protested.

"You don't count," Ashley explained. "You're my brother."

"Oh," Chris said. "Ok."

"You and I are in the clear, buddy," Finn nodded. "But other than the two of us, your grandpas, your cousins and your uncles, all boys have cooties, Ash. Never forget that," he pointed a potato chip at Ashley before tossing it in his mouth.

"I won't, Daddy," Ashley replied.

"Good girl," Finn beamed.

"Now imagine if my Dads said that about _you_," Rachel smirked at Finn.

"Like I said," Finn winked at the kids before hugging Rachel from behind, "_I_ don't have cooties."

"Right…" Rachel deadpanned. "Grab the applesauce for me, will you?"

Finn grabbed the applesauce from the fridge as Rachel plated two latkes and a sandwich each for Ashley and Chris.

"Here you go, baby," she said, putting a plate in front of Ashley.

"Thank you," Ashley smiled. Her eyes lit up when she looked at her plate. "Is that Mickey Mouse? And Lilo and Stitch, too? That's so cool!"

Rachel smiled and put Chris' plate in front of him, which had Mickey Mouse, Buzz Lightyear, and Lightning McQueen shapes.

"Awesome!" Chris exclaimed.

"Wow!" Finn smiled. "That looks great, guys! I can't remember the last time we had Mickey-shaped food…"

"I do!" Ashley exclaimed. "We were at Disney World!"

"We were, weren't we?" Rachel conceded innocently, trying her best to hold in a laugh. "That sure was fun, huh?"

"Yeah!" Chris and Ashley both nodded.

"Can we go back, Mommy?" Ashley asked.

"You want to?" Rachel answered. "I think we can do that one day. What do you think, Daddy?"

"If you little munchkins are good," Finn smirked at them both. "You know, listen to Mommy, brush your teeth, do your homework and all of that."

"We do!" Ashley laughed.

"They do, don't they?" he said, looking at Rachel. She nodded. "We'll talk about it later, kiddos. Come on, eat up," Finn smiled. "We have some fun stuff to do after we eat."

Ashley and Chris looked at one another excitedly before digging into their lunch.

**gleegleegleeglee**

"Thank you, Mommy," Ashley said as Rachel put her plate in the sink.

"You're welcome, sweetheart," Rachel said.

"Can I go practice now?" Ashley asked. She'd been taking piano lessons for a few months and it was her new favorite pastime.

"Wait a second, kiddo," Finn interjected. "Mommy and Daddy have a surprise for you and Chris."

"An early Christmas and Hanukkah present," Rachel added.

Ashley and Chris looked at one another excitedly.

"What?" Chris asked.

"We can't tell you, buddy," Finn smirked. "You two have to find it."

"Like looking for Easter baskets?" Ashley asked, her eyes wide.

"Sort of," Rachel grinned. "Except this is a scavenger hunt."

"A what?" Chris blinked.

"You guys have to be like… pirates looking for buried treasure," Finn explained. "Like Captain Jack. Only now you have to use clues you find in the house to find the surprise instead of a treasure map. Well, kind of…"

"Cool!" Chris exclaimed.

"Where's the first clue?" Ashley asked.

Rachel looked over at Sammy, who was lying in his bed watching them all.

"C'mere, Sammy," she smiled.

Sammy got up and ran over to them before sitting obediently at her side. Rachel bent down and untied a scroll from the leash loop on his collar.

"Ok, you have to take turns reading the clues," she said, holding the scroll out for them. "Who wants to go first?"

"Me!" Chris exclaimed.

"Go for it," Ashley nodded.

Chris reached out and took the scroll.

"With this moo… moo… m-" Chris tried.

"Movie," Finn murmured softly as he smoothed Chris' hair.

"…movie… you will f-find… your next c-cah-loo… _Clue!_ But you… beh-beht… bet-ter… hurry, or your… car… carr-ee-age?

"Carriage," Finn smiled softly.

"Yeah – that… will turn back into a… pumpy-kin!" Chris read.

Finn bit back a laugh.

"Good job, buddy! What movie is that?" he prompted gently.

Ashley looked at Chris and smiled encouragingly.

"Cinderelli?" he said quietly.

"Close enough," Ashley grinned.

They both hopped off their stools and all four of them headed for the home theatre, where all the movies were kept. Ashley wrapped her arms around Rachel's waist as they walked and hugged her tightly. She loved spending the morning with her Daddy, but she missed having her Mommy there, too.

"I love you, baby," Rachel whispered as she kissed the top of her daughter's head.

"Love you, too," Ashley smiled contentedly.

Rachel pulled Ashley into her lap when they all sat down in the theatre to read the next clue, which had been tied to the _Cinderella_ Blu-ray case.

"A pair of swashbuckling pirates are ye," Ashley read. "You've found your first clue successfully. Four more in this house ye will find before the treasure be yours. But, avast, you have to solve this before ye can move on. Your next clue ye will find in the place that answers this riddle: A haunting tune I can play for thee. You've seen me in a ride and movie. In the living room you will find me. What am I?"

Finn looked at Rachel crossly.

"The piano," Ashley smiled. "Like the player piano from The Haunted Mansion ride… and the movie."

"Oh," Chris and Finn said simultaneously.

Rachel and Ashley just laughed.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Chris and Ashley were down to their last clue. Their hunt had taken them from the kitchen to the home theatre, the piano, the coat closet, the playroom, and now to the family room. Ashley spotted a big scroll in the middle of the floor on top of a paper 'X'. She grabbed it and unrolled the paper.

"Congratulations! You've found the last clue!" she read as Finn discretely pulled out the FlipCam from his back pocket.

He and Rachel smiled at one another.

"We're so very proud of you two! Just follow this map to your surprise and you'll be all through!" Ashley looked up at Chris. "Come on, Chris!"

Rachel and Finn watched from behind as their kids walked off in search of their surprise.

"We're so the best parents ever," he whispered. Rachel leaned in to give him a kiss and a fist bump.

Finally they arrived at the door to the laundry room, which was labeled with another big paper 'X'.

"Can we go in?" Ashley asked, turning to look at her parents.

"Yeah!" Rachel nodded.

Ashley and Chris excitedly pushed open the door.

"Oh, my gosh," Ashley blinked.

"Whoa…" Chris breathed.

Inside the entire room was decorated with everything Disney. Balloons, streamers, and big cutouts of every character from Ariel to Zurg were on the walls. A big wrapped box sat in the middle of the room with Ashley and Chris' names on a big tag tied to the bow.

"What is it?" Chris asked, turning to his parents.

"I don't know," Rachel shrugged innocently. "Go open it, guys! See what's inside!"

Ashley and Chris headed inside and looked at one another somewhat hesitantly before pulling the lid off the box. They both jumped back a bit when a few massive Mickey Mouse balloons rose up from inside. Written on a piece of paper tied to the center balloon were the words…

"WE'RE GOING TO DISNEY WORLD?" Ashley gasped, turning to Rachel and Finn with a huge ear-to-ear smile on her face.

"Surprise!" Rachel laughed.

"Really?" Ashley asked.

"Yeah really," Finn smiled.

"Seriously?" Ashley laughed excitedly.

"Seriously," Rachel smirked. "Like… _right now_, seriously."

Ashley and Chris both went silent, staring at their Mom and Dad with their mouths wide open.

"Now?" Chris blinked.

"_Right _now," Finn nodded. "We're leaving for the airport in a few minutes to go catch our flight to Orlando."

"No way," Ashley shook her head in disbelief.

"Yes, way!" Rachel nodded. "Daddy and I packed your suitcases already. Everything is in the car and ready to go."

Chris laughed and jumped up and down excitedly, saying "Yay" over and over again.

"Really?" Ashley asked again.

"Yeah, baby," Rachel nodded.

Ashley smiled and walked over to hug her mother.

"Mommy," she whimpered into Rachel's stomach.

"Baby, are you crying?" Rachel asked worriedly, smoothing Ashley's hair as she hugged her close. Ashley nodded. "Why? What's wrong?"

"…Happy…" Ashley swallowed.

"Oh, honey," Rachel soothed, scooping up her daughter into her arms. "It's ok. Don't cry, baby."

"T-Thank y-you, M-Mommy and D-Daddy," she sniffled.

Finn and Rachel smiled at one another.

"You're welcome, kiddo," he said softly, reaching over to rub her back. "You two are such great kids, you make it really easy for Mommy and I do to stuff like this."

"We're so proud of you two," Rachel added. "Daddy and I love you so much, guys. So, so, _so_ much."

Ashley gave them a watery smile as her Mommy wiped the tears from her cheeks. Chris ran over and wrapped his arms around Finn's legs as best he could.

"Mommy, are you crying, too?" he asked.

Rachel laughed.

"I'm just really happy, sweetheart," she said softly.

"You too, Daddy?' Ashley asked.

Finn blushed a bit and cleared his throat. Rachel reached out and took his hand in hers, intertwining their fingers.

"Yeah," he grinned sheepishly, blinking away the tears making his eyes glisten. "Anyway," he continued. "So, what do you say, guys? You ready?"

"Yeah!" Ashley and Chris shouted.

**gleegleegleeglee**

Amazingly they made it into JFK without so much as a camera flash from the paparazzi and arrived at the gate with plenty of time to spare. Two hours later, the Hudson family was airborne and en route to Orlando International Airport.

Chris was fast asleep no more than thirty minutes after takeoff. He was snuggled up under a blanket in the seat next to Finn, who was browsing ESPN on his iPad while Chris used his forearm as a pillow. Rachel and Ashley were watching _Tangled_ across the isle.

Finn glanced over and smiled at the sight of Ashley nestled under a blanket and resting her head on a pillow on the center console armrest with Rachel's arm protectively around her. She refused to admit it, but he and Rachel knew Mother Gothel still scared her. He bit back a smile when Ashley grabbed Rachel's hand as Mother Gothel scolded Rapunzel. But Ashley loved the movie regardless - especially Pascal the chameleon. He lost count of how many times she watched the movie with them, but watching her try to imitate Pascal every time never really got old. At least it wasn't dangerous like all of the times Chris tried to be Lightning McQueen and run around the house at full speed like a racecar. Rachel looked over at him and smiled.

"How exactly is this comfortable for him?" he nodded at Chris. Rachel laughed, pulling her headphones out of her ears.

"He just loves his Daddy," she shrugged.

"I know," Finn smirked. "But I can't feel my arm anymore."

"Yeah, I can't feel my fingers, either," Rachel conceded. She glanced back at Ashley, who had a white-knuckle hold on her hand as Mother Gothel sang onscreen. "And yet I can never get enough of it."

"There's something wrong with us," Finn teased. "These kids, I tell you. They've done weird things to us. No matter what they do, it's cute and amazing and perfect." He paused, trying to keep a straight face. "It's all your fault. It's because you're their mother. They wouldn't be this cute and perfect if it weren't for you because they're just as incredible as you are."

Rachel blushed.

"And _you're _the reason we never lost our spark after having kids," she mumbled.

"Eh, no, that's still you," Finn smirked, giving her a once-over and waggling his eyebrows.

Rachel blushed wildly and swallowed.

"Though, apparently Quinn and Puck haven't lost it, either," Finn laughed. "Logan had his Mommy and Daddy wrestling in his gingerbread house this morning."

Rachel gasped, "He didn't!"

"Best holiday craft day ever," Finn nodded. "Between that and the fact that I ate like five of your latkes and half of Ashley's chocolate gelt, it was epic."

Rachel laughed and glanced back at Ashley, who was smiling and sticking her tongue out to be like Pascal as he woke up Flynn Rider.

"Never gets old," Finn mused under his breath as he watched the two of them.

"See this right here?" Rachel nodded at their daughter. "This is all you, honey."

"Me?" Finn laughed. "Please. You're the one who drools when you sleep."

Rachel's ears turned bright red.

"Hey! I was going to say because it was so adorable!" she gaped, playfully glaring at him.

"Mhmm, yeah. Sure," he teasingly rolled his eyes at her.

"Ok, fine, _maaaaybe_ I drool when I sleep," Rachel intoned, smirking amusedly as she extended a finger in Chris' direction. "But it's definitely not _me_ drooling on you right now, _Finny_."

Finn blinked at her for a moment, his smirk fading before he looked down to see a puddle of drool on his arm around Chris' open mouth. Scrunching up his nose for second, he looked back at his wife and smiled before shaking his head.

Their eyes locked for a moment and not a single word needed to be said between them. Numb fingers from little hands holding on so tight and drool puddles galore, temper tantrums late into the afternoon and squealing giggles so loud they would fill 1,000 laugh canisters in _Monsters, Inc._ – parenting was complete chaos. But good God did they love every_ second_ of it.

**Author's Note: I don't know when the next update will be, or what it will be about. But there will be one. As Finn once said: "The show's gotta go all over the place, or something." Thank you for reading and for cherishing these characters as much as I do. And, again, thank you, ItsaGleeThing, for reminding me why I need to do this – why we all need to keep doing this (if possible). And, most of all: thank you, Cory. Thank you for everything. Thank you for your life and for sharing how wonderful of a person you were with all of us. Thank you for the laughs, the tears and the sheer amount of love you had in your heart. We will never forget you. **_**I'll**_** never forget you. I promise.**

**Oh, good lord, I've done enough crying for tonight. Keep holding on, guys. And please, **_**please**__**don't stop believin'**_.


	20. Wanna Block?

**Disclaimer: Same old, same old. Don't own FOX or **_**Glee**_**.**

_**Author's Note: Something I wrote a **_**long **_**time ago.**_

**Wanna Block?**

Rachel leaned against the wood molding, an ear-to-ear smile spreading across her face as she watched Finn carefully push Ashley across the hardwood floor of their living room in her wheeled Winnie the Pooh baby bouncer.

"And she fakes left around Mr. Fluffy-Pants," he said in his best sportscaster voice, slowly turning her in a circle while dodging a large tan teddy bear. "She's unstoppable! She's driving for the end zone!" he said excitedly, pushing her up the sideline he constructed using Tupperware, bowls, wooden spoons, and his sneakers. "But, wait! Oh, no!" he gasped, dropping to his knees to grab the Barbara Streisand doll on his right. "Streisand comes up on the right for the tackle and… and-" he grabbed Tigger from behind him and catapulted the Barbara doll across the living room. "AND IT'S TIGGER WITH THE BLOCK, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" he exclaimed, pushing Ashley the rest of the way into the end zone made of her toys. "AND HUDSON MAKES IT INTO THE ENDZONE!" Finn cheered, sliding Ashley around to face him as he made hushed sounds of the crowd cheering.

Ashley grabbed Finn's fingers as he tickled her tummy and looked at him excitedly, her green eyes sparkling.

"We did it!" Finn laughed, leaning in to give her a kiss on the forehead. "We beat 'em!" He pulled back a bit and tilted his head towards her. "Noggin…"

Ashley cooed happily and playfully hit him on the forehead.

"_Duuuuude_," Finn intoned in his best surfer boy accent, giving her an Eskimo kiss.

"Are Crush and Squirt having fun?"

Finn's head snapped up, his eyes widening the second he saw Rachel smiling at him from where she was leaning against the archway into the room.

"R-Rachel," he stammered, his ears glowing deep red, "I, uh… Ash and I were just… um…" he swallowed, quickly glancing at his watch. "You're home early…"

Rachel laughed a bit and shrugged as she walked over to them.

"I missed my baby girl," she said softly, kneeling to the floor. "And her daddy, of course." Rachel's eyes lit up when she saw Ashley's shirt. "Oh, my God, you even put on her jersey! How adorable!"

Finn nodded and smiled and leaned in to give his wife a sweet kiss. Ashley let out a loud squeak and they broke the kiss, grinning at one another for a moment before turning to her.

"Obviously we missed you, too," Finn smirked as Rachel beamed at Ashley, who was excitedly reaching out for her.

"Hi, sweetie pie!" she said happily, kissing Ashley on the forehead and the tip of her nose. "How's my baby girl?" She unbuckled Ashley's harness and gently lifted her daughter into her arms. "You're having lots and lots of fun with Daddy, huh?"

Ashley cooed softly and snuggled against Rachel's chest.

"So, what'd you do?" Finn asked teasingly. "Tell Kurt you were going to try on some jeans and ditch?"

"No," Rachel playfully narrowed her eyes at him. "It was actually kind of his idea to rain check shopping."

"But he was the one who, like, _dragged_ you out for 'retail aerobics'," Finn blinked.

"I know," Rachel bit back a smile and shrugged as she leaned against him. "And all I did was spend the entire lunch talking incessantly about you and Ashley, showing him every single picture I had on my phone, and texting you. I can't _imagine_ why he thought it would be good to go shopping another day."

Finn laughed and carefully wrapped his arms around both Ashley and Rachel before leaning in to kiss them both on the top of the head.

"Well, we're really happy Mommy's home, aren't we?" he asked softly, running his thumb back and forth across Ashley's forearm.

Ashley just tightened her grip on Rachel's blouse and let out a soft grunt.

"Aww, I think she was having the best time just playing with Daddy," Rachel grinned.

"_She_ was playing, _I_ was working," Finn shrugged.

Rachel looked up at him quizzically.

"Well, she was kind of like a total mess after you left," Finn explained. "Like, not crying or anything, but, I don't know, she was just kinda out of sorts." He shrugged again and smoothed Ashley's fluffy brown hair. "She didn't want to take a nap, and I really have to figure out these plays before the playoff game next week, so I figured out a way to keep her entertained and learn the runs at the same time."

A sweet smile crossed Rachel's face and she kissed him on the cheek.

"That's cute," she said softly. "Did it work?"

"Better than anything I've ever done before," Finn nodded, laughing. "For both of us, actually."

"Did you hear that, munchkin?" Rachel asked playfully, gently tickling Ashley's side. "You helped Daddy with his plays."

Ashley cooed and squirmed a bit in her arms.

"Yeah," Rachel nodded, smiling. "Ya did good, baby girl!" She turned back to her husband. "Was that the last of them or do you have more do learn?"

"Six more," Finn sighed. "We got through eight of them."

"What do you think, Ash?" Rachel asked, looking down at her daughter. "You have it in you for a few more pushes up the field before nap time?" She glanced up at Finn, giving him a soft smile. "Can Mommy play, too?"

Finn beamed at Rachel and nodded before holding up the Tigger plush toy and shrugging.

"Wanna block?" he smirked.

Rachel just laughed.

**Author's Note: God, I miss them.**


End file.
